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Jury empanelled for murder, and armed robbery trial

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court jury was empanelled yesterday for the trial of a man accused of murder and armed robbery.

The trial of 29-year-old Henley Claridge will begin today after an adjournment for 24 hours at the request of the prosecution.

Claridge is on trial before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs on two counts of armed robbery and a single charge of murder, alleged to have been committed on March 4, 2014.

It is claimed that he robbed Tonika Laroda and Darius Adderley of two Samsung cellphones together valued at $600. He is further accused of intentionally killing Adderley by means of unlawful harm.

Shortly before 9pm, Adderley was sitting in his 2003 Dodge Town and Country Van on Roseland Street with a female friend when a man armed with a handgun robbed them.

As he was leaving, the suspect shot at the vehicle, hitting Adderley in the back. The woman was unharmed during the robbery. Adderley was taken to hospital by ambulance, but died of his injuries shortly after his arrival.

Claridge, when formally arraigned in Supreme Court on July 4, 2014, pleaded not guilty to all three charges. He maintained that plea yesterday.

He has retained attorney Jiaram Mangra to defend him while Desiree Ferguson and Cassie Bethel represent the Crown.

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