St James Parish judge blasts police over ‘most wanted’ man’s incomplete file

WESTERN BUREAU:

Presiding St James parish court judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton yesterday blasted the police for their apparent lack of urgency in completing the court files relating to Joseph ‘Gio’ McKenzie, the former St James ‘most wanted,’ who is before the court on a murder charge.

Fairclough-Hylton registered her disgust after being told that several documents relating to McKenzie’s charges, to include the April 6, 2023, murder of 21-year-old labourer Darian Bowman and the April 27, 2024, murder of 28-year-old shopkeeper Randy McNeil, have not been added to the case file. The outstanding documents include two post-mortem reports, a ballistic certificate, a forensic report, and a chain-of-custody statement.

“We need to have this wrapped up as this is taking too long. We have wasted an hour of court time doing absolutely nothing. Mr McKenzie has several matters before this court, and before the court elsewhere, and I must remind you that a person is innocent until proven guilty,” said Fairclough-Hylton in registering her displeasure.

“Isn’t Mr McKenzie branded as one of St James’ most wanted men? If it is that you are saying that he is as dangerous as you make him out to be, then I would think the least you could do is clear the file so that I can have the opportunity to see whether a prima facie [self-evident] case has been made out against him,” stated Fairclough-Hylton. “That is the very least that I would expect from police officers, but from August 28, Mr McKenzie has been in custody, and up to now I cannot see the file against him to see whether or not there is any case made out against him.”

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McKenzie reportedly has other matters, relating to other cases against him, before the parish court and the Western Regional Gun Court.

The court was also told that the investigating officers in McKenzie’s matters were absent from Monday’s court sitting, with one of them currently on a training course. Additionally, it was disclosed that McKenzie has not retained a lawyer for his matters despite previous information that attorney-at-law Chumu Parris had been approached to represent him.

Fairclough-Hylton subsequently set McKenzie’s matters for case management on December 4 and remanded him until that date. She also ordered that subpoenas be prepared for the investigating officers to attend court.

“On that date, the Crown needs to get its house in order. Subpoena the officers whether they are on a course or not,” declared Fairclough-Hylton.

McKenzie was charged in September this year with the murders of Bowman and McNeil after he was captured during a police operation along the Harvey Beach in Coral Gardens, St James. He had been prominently featured on the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Wanted Wednesday’s platform as St James’ most wanted man.

According to reports concerning Bowman’s death, on April 6, 2023, motorists travelling along the Flanker main road in St James saw Bowman running and bleeding profusely from multiple gunshot wounds. A Jamaica Defence Force unit took him to the hospital, where he died while being treated.

Concerning McNeil’s death, reports are that on April 27 this year, he was walking along the Flanker roadway when he was pounced upon by a gunman who shot him several times. McNeil was later pronounced dead at hospital.