Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

A Supreme Court Judge yesterday described as heart-rending the problems the Home Circuit Court has been facing over the last two months because of a shortage of jurors.

Justice Norma McIntosh made the comment when she had to put off the trial of the three persons charged with the murder of former president of the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers Association, 62-year-old Lloyd G. Brown, and his 49-year-old fiancée, Sandra Campbell.

The judge said it was "very, very heart-rending" when there was so much work to be done and there was insufficient jurors.

There were only 32 jurors available for jury selection for the trial of the three accused and the judge said at least 54 jurors were needed.

She disclosed that 870 summonses were sent out for jurors. The police served only 171 persons and many of them did not turn up because of various reasons. She pointed out that some people did not feel it was their civic duty to come out and serve as jurors.

The judge has put off the case until next week Monday to give the police more time to serve additional summonses.

The three accused are Sandra Watt, a household helper who was employed to Campbell; Donald Whyte, labourer, of a Kingston address; and 39-year-old Peter Dougal, of Santoy district, Hanover. They are in custody awaiting their trial.

Brown and Campbell were shot dead at Campbell's Still-well Road residence, Stony Hill, St. Andrew, about4:30 a.m. on June 6, 2004. The police have theorised that it was a contract killing.