By Roy Sanford, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
MILTON RUSSEL, People's National Party (PNP) Councillor for the St. James Central division, was yesterday given until Friday to settle legal representation in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court.
Russell is facing the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm stemming from allegations that he attacked a Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) campaigner on the eve of the June 19 Local Government elections.
The trial was expected to begin yesterday but when Russell appeared in court, he seemed unsure of his legal representation. Court documents show that on previous court appearances, he had indicated that Dalton Reid and George Traile were representing him but neither showed up in court yesterday. When quizzed by Valrie Stephens, Senior Resident Magistrate for St. James, Russell said he was not sure whether Mr. Traile was instructed and he "was not quite sure" if Mr. Reid was representing him since this was being arranged on his behalf by one Mr. Brown.
JUDGE ANGERED
This angered Ms. Stephens. "The witnesses are all here and now you are saying that someone else is arranging your legal representation?" she thundered.
When Mr. Russell suggested that the court allows him another two weeks to settle his legal representation, Ms. Stephens would hear none of it. "Legal representation must be settled by Friday," she ruled.
The incident that landed Mr. Russell in court occurred on June 9 at around 6:00 p.m. It is reported that the complainant, Winston James, and a group of JLP supporters were conducting a door to door political campaign in Whitehouse, St. James. It is alleged that Mr. Russell walked up to Mr. James and an argument developed over the distribution of flyers in the area. As Mr. James was in the process of walking away, Mr. Russell allegedly grabbed him by the shirt and punched him in the face.
It is reported that Mr. Russell subsequently used a penknife to inflict a wound to Mr. James' right hand. Russell is expected to show up in court on Friday with an attorney.
