Last week High Court Justice Albert Redhead reluctantly traversed the trial of former legislator Andre Penn because he had two matters before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court of Appeal.
Now both matters have been resolved, neither of them in Mr. Penn’s favour.
In one case, Mr. Penn argued that criminal proceedings against him should be stayed: His constitutional rights were violated, he claimed, because he wasn’t arraigned two months after a retrial was ordered.
But acting Chief Justice Davidson Kelvin Baptiste found the argument was moot.
“Viewing the matter generally and paying regard to the grounds of the application, it appears to me that the issues raised can properly be dealt with in the criminal proceedings,” Mr. Baptiste ruled.
The matter is set as the first case in the next criminal assizes on Oct. 7.
Mr. Penn also filed an appeal claiming he wouldn’t be given a fair trial in this territory, in part because of the widespread media coverage of his case.
The appeal was dismissed last week by High Court Justice Vicki Ann Ellis.
The former legislator, who is accused of sexual offences against a minor, is scheduled to be tried in the next criminal assizes on Oct. 7.
See the Aug. 1, 2013 edition for full coverage.