By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
THE chief magistrate yesterday hit out at the Crown’s “sense of entitlement” after it requested yet another adjournment to serve voluntary bills of indictment on one man and another individual accused of attempting to murder two police officers during the course of a high-speed chase throughout New Providence last year.
Dwight Lloyd, and another individual who cannot be named because he was charged as a minor, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson Pratt following what was to be the final adjournment for the Crown to serve the VBIs on the two for allegedly attempting to murder Corporal 535 Rolle and Constable 3896 Newbold on July 5, 2017.
However, at the start of the hearing, the prosecution said it needed more time, as much as three weeks to produce the VBIs, stating it was still awaiting a pathologist’s report in connection with the matter. Though it was noted the matter has seen six adjournments to date, the Crown charged that attempted murder is a very serious offence, and it would be in the interest of justice to have the matter go to trial.
However, the chief magistrate countered by saying the liberty of the two accused, one of whom has been in custody since his initial arraignment in July of last year, is also a very serious matter. She continued by railing against the “sense of entitlement” the Crown has with adjournments, and stated the Crown is of the impression that once it requests an adjournment, its request will be granted automatically.
Attorney Ian Cargill, who represents Lloyd, interjected and stated that with the Crown knowing full well the last adjournment was the final one, prosecutors could have produced the VBIs and then file a notice of additional evidence pertaining to the report.
The chief magistrate ultimately noted she is due to travel out of the jurisdiction soon, but will return to the country on March 21. She told the prosecutors present to let the director of public prosecutions and “all and sundry” know that she expects the VBIs to be served on the two accused at that time.
On July 12, 2017, Lloyd and his co-accused, who was 17-years-old at the time, were arraigned before the chief magistrate on two counts of attempted murder, two counts of possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and one count each of attempted armed robbery and possession of an unlicenced firearm.
It is alleged the pair, being concerned together on the day in question, attempted to kill Cpl Rolle and Const Newbold.
They were also accused of allegedly using a 9mm Taurus pistol to put the lives of the police officers in danger.
It is also alleged the pair attempted to rob Antonio Denor of a 2007 Honda Accord valued at $8,000 on the same day. They were also accused of being in possession of the 9mm pistol without holding a license to possess the weapon.
According to initial reports from, on the day in question, officers received reports of two armed males in a white Camry in the Carmichael Road area. An all-points bulletin was immediately issued.
A few minutes later, Mobile Division officers spotted the vehicle in the Carmichael area and signalled to the driver to stop. He refused and sped off however, resulting in a high-speed chase that ended when the Camry crashed near the Sir Sidney Poitier Bridge on East Bay Street.
The two occupants then left the vehicle and began shooting at the police, according to initial police reports, who returned fire and shot one of the suspects. However, both suspects were eventually arrested.
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