Judge bans jury foreman in Lusignan massacre trial

-did not disclose that Nigel Hughes was once his lawyer

Justice Navindra Singh this morning banned the foreman of the jury in the recently concluded Lusignan massacre trial because he did not disclose to the court that he had a lawyer-client relationship with one of the attorneys-at-law, Nigel Hughes, who had represented one of the two accused who were subsequently found not guilty.

Justice Singh today called the foreman, Vernon Griffith, up before him and asked him if he had ever had a case before the court and after hesitating he replied in the affirmative. Asked by the judge who was the lawyer, the man said he was represented by two lawyers from Hughes, Fields & Stoby, a female and he thinks the other person was  Hughes.

The judge then informed him that he had his case file before him and  Hughes was indeed his lawyer in the court.

The judge then pointed out to him that the court had specifically asked members of the jury if they had any connection with the defence or the prosecution they should inform the court. He asked Griffith why he did not inform the court that Hughes was his lawyer for six years and Griffith replied that because he does not know Hughes personally he did not inform the court.

Justice Singh expressed the desire to hold him in contempt of the court but said it is a procedure that cannot be applied at this stage and as such opted for banning him from jury service for life.

In selecting the jury for the case the court had held what could be described as a mini trial as for the first time all of the prospective jurors were questioned extensively individually.

The trial concluded on August 2nd with James Anthony Hyles and Mark Royden Williams both found not guilty in the murders of the 11 persons in the 2008 Lusignan massacre.

Justice Singh remanded Williams to prison because of pending matters, while Hyles was placed on $1.1 million bail after Senior State Counsel Judith Gildharie-Mursalin served notices to the defence and court of the intent of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to appeal.

The grounds of appeal are likely now to refer to the lawyer-client relationship between Hughes and Griffith.

Hyles and Williams were accused of killing 48-year-old Clarence Thomas, his 12-year-old daughter Vanessa Thomas and his son Ron Thomas; 32-year-old Mohandai Gourdat and her two sons, four-year-old Seegobind Harrilall and     ten-year-old Seegopaul Harrilall; 22-year-old Shazam Mohamed; 55-yearold Shaleem Baksh; Seecharran Rooplall, 56, his wife Dhanrajie Ramsingh, 52 and their 11-year-old daughter Raywattie Ramsingh, on January 26, 2008 at Track ‘A’ Lusignan.