Late journalist Tyron Browne’s murder case remains halted for days in the wake of the Supreme Court’s notice that it will hear argument in a petition for a writ of certiorari requested by defense counsels.
Three State witnesses, including neighbors of principal defendant Jonathan Williams have testified in the case at Criminal Court “A” before the case came to a halt pending the hearing and outcome of a writ of certiorari prayed for at the Supreme Court by defense lawyers.
Associate Justice in Chambers Sie – A – Nyene G. Yuoh on 10 September instructed Criminal Court “A” Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie and State lawyers to appear on Friday, 14 September at 9:00 a.m. to show cause why defense lawyers’ petition for the writ of certiorari should not be granted.
The writ of certiorari is a writ or order by which a higher court reviews a decision of a lower court.
The lower court and prosecutors are instructed to file their returns to this Writ [Certiorari] in the office of the Clerk of the Supreme Court on or before Friday, 14 September.
Further, Justice Yuoh notifies parties in journalist Tyron’s murder case that the Supreme Court will hear argument in the cause (petition for writ of certiorari) on 17 September at 11:00 a.m., citing them to be present for the hearing.
The petition for the writ of certiorari is prayed for by the counsels representing co – defendants Alice Youtey and Edwina Youtey who face a charge of hindering law enforcement in the case drawn from Tyron’s brutal murder.
This paper does not have the details on issues raised by the defense in their request for the writ of certiorari, but their move came after the lower court denied their request for separate trial, and questioning of its authority to hear a charge of hindering law enforcement.
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Regarding separate trial, Judge Willie stated that the indictment says co-defendants Alice and Edwina acted in conspiracy with principal defendant Williams to conceal the discovery of murder as alleged.
As such, the court determined that they court not be tried separately. In response to defense’s argument that the crime of hindering law enforcement on its own merit has been conferred on the jurisdiction of the magistrate court, Judge Willie also ruled that the higher offense, in this case, murder, takes precedent.
The indictment says Alice, Edwina and Williams lived in the same compound where journalist Browne had gone to visit when he was allegedly murdered brutally by defendant Williams to the full knowledge of the co-defendants.
