A not guilty verdict was moments ago handed to the three accused in the 2018 murder of Trumayne ‘Passion’ Daway.
The trio of Rafael Harrigan, Vernon Bernard and Maybelline Rodriguez were found not guilty after Justice Richard Floyd instructed the 9-member jury to return the not-guilty verdict on all counts.
Harrigan and Bernard were both charged with murder and for possession of a weapon with intent to commit an indictable offense, while Rodriguez was charged only with murder.
The judgment by Justice Floyd followed a no-case submission by the defense of the three accused which was presented and submitted in court on Friday April 1.
The defense argued that the evidence led by the Crown during the trial which lasted more than three weeks, was manifestly unreliable, adding that it would have been unsafe to leave such evidence for a jury to decide.
Justice Floyd ruled in favour of the defense, stating that he upheld the no-case submission after considering the evidence presented by the prosecution which he said was simply not strong enough to proceed with a case against Harrigan, Bernard and Rodriquez.
Following the judgement Deputy Director of Public Prosecution Kellei-Gaye Smith informed the court that the Crown will be considering appealing the decision.
Representing Rodriquez – who is a native of the Dominican Republic – was attorney Valerie Gordon while Bernard was represented by attorney Richard Rowe and his associate Allydah George.
Harrigan was represented by a three-attorney defense which was led by Barbadian Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley and local attorneys Isis Potter and Michael Maduro.