Natasha Charles outside court. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
By NICO SCAVELLA
Tribune Staff Reporter
nscavella@tribunemedia.net
A 32-year-old woman charged with murdering a 34-year-old father-of-five yesterday complained of inhumane and degrading treatment while in police custody awaiting her arraignment for the crime.
Natasha Charles, of Hamster Road, made the complaints while being arraigned before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt over Brian Smith’s murder in the Chippingham area on April 22. Charles and a 17-year-old, inset above, are charged with Smith’s murder, as well as conspiring to kill the Montrose Avenue resident on the date in question.
According to initial police reports, shortly after midnight on that Monday, police responded to Foster Street in Chippingham after receiving reports of a male being shot. Upon arrival, officers discovered a man with injuries to his body.
Paramedics were subsequently called to the scene and attempted to revive the man, but were unsuccessful. He was pronounced dead on the scene.
Neither of the accused were required to enter a plea to the charges and the matter was adjourned to next Monday.
On that date, the chief magistrate is expected to further entertain the issue of Charles’ complaints about her experiences in police custody, as well as deal with the issue of bail for the teenager, which was raised by his attorney Bjorn Ferguson.
The two were remanded into the state’s custody in the interim.
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