A twelve-member jury yesterday determined that a murder accused was not fit to stand trial due to his mental status and he is to be confined to the psychiatric hospital.
Gregory Padmore was to stand trial for the murder of, Nkosi Mc Leod between August 13 and 14, 2006 but due to his mental state a jury was empanelled before Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court to determine if he was fit to do so. A unanimous verdict was returned by the jury stating that Padmore is not fit to plead to the crime he is charged with.
Psychiatrist Dr Bhiro Harry was called to the court to determine the condition of Padmore and he related that Padmore was unable to understand the proceedings of the court and is therefore unfit to stand trial at that point in time.
Dr Harry also told the court that he knows the accused from visiting the Camp Street prison to treat patients. The doctor also said that from conversation with Padmore his speech was disjointed and his answers were inappropriate in most instances. He also stated that the accused refuses to take his injections and he continues to be psychotic and will remain so until he takes his medication.
After hearing the jury’s decision, Justice Singh then ordered that Padmore be confined to the National Psychiatric Hospital in Berbice until he is deemed fit to stand trial.
