Sean Luke murder trial ends; verdict on July 23
MURDERED: Sean Luke, six, who was murdered in 2006. -
A THIRD partial DNA profile found on the cane stalk inserted into the body of six-year-old Sean Luke, killing him, is no “smoking gun” evidence as alleged by the defence. It is merely a flare gun or caps gun, creating lots of smoke and noise, prosecutors have advanced in their closing arguments at the end of the trial on Friday.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Sabrina Dougdeen-Jaglal on Friday, completed her closing address to Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds who is presiding over the judge-only trial of Akeel Mitchell and Richard Chatoo, both charged with Luke’s murder in 2006.
State gets green light to use DNA evidence against accused
by
Derek Achong
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has been given the green light to use DNA evidence in the trial of two men, accused of murdering Sean Luke when they were teenagers.
Delivering a decision at the start of yesterday’s hearing of Akeel Mitchell and Richard Chatoo’s judge-alone trial, High Court judge Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds dismissed an application to stay the indictment against Mitchell, which was brought as prosecutors sought to introduce the evidence when the trial was already at an advanced stage.
Judge allows DNA evidence in Sean Luke murder trial
Sean Luke -
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence will form part of the prosecution’s case against the two men indicted for the murder of six-year-old Sean Luke in 2006.
Opposition to the admission of the DNA evidence came from one of the men charged with the boy’s murder in the form of a motion to stay the indictment against him because of the delay by the State to disclose the evidence, but this was shot down by the judge presiding over the trial.
On Wednesday, Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds ruled she did not agree that Akeel Mitchell would not receive a fair trial as his attorneys had argued on Monday. Mitchell’s co-accused, Richard Chatoo did not object to the evidence being led.