By Denise Clarke, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
CAROL WALKER, the woman who was lost in the prison system for 12 years, will have to wait several more weeks to hear whether the charges against her will finally be dismissed.
Walker, who is charged with malicious destruction of property, was scheduled to be tried in the Black River Resident Magistrate's court Thursday, but did not answer when her name was called.
Human rights attorney, Nancy Anderson, who represents Ms. Walker was also absent from the proceedings because of her involvement in a matter before the Supreme Court.
The court clerk, Annemarie Nembhard, told the court that she had received no explanation from the St. Elizabeth Infirmary as to why Ms. Walker was absent.
PSYCHIATRIC EVALUATION
Ms. Nembhard also informed the presiding judge, Marlene Malahoo, that a psychiatric evaluation that was ordered when Ms. Walker appeared in court in January, was not yet ready.The case was then set for mention on March 11, and transferred to the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate's court, when it is expected that Ms. Walker will be released.
Ms. Walker had been arrested in Balaclava, St. Elizabeth in Novem-ber 1991, and charged with malicious destruction of property, an offence which, if found guilty, she could have served a maximum of three years. She had been an inmate at the Fort Augusta Prison up until five weeks ago.
The case was finally called up for trial last month, however an angry outburst from the defendant caused the presiding Magistrate to delay the decision until a psychiatric evaluation had been completed.
