Ruling to be Made Next Monday in Murder Trial

Patrick Harris

Justice Herbert Lord is expected to make a ruling on Monday in a voir dire that preceded the actual murder trial of Patrick Harris. Justice Lord decided this week to enter the voir dire (a hearing within the actual trial) to determine whether or not Crown Counsel, Portia Ferguson, will be allowed to enter as part of the prosecution’s evidence, the identification of Harris in the actual trial. Harris’ defense attorney, Oscar Selgado objected to allowing the identification of his client as evidence in the actual trial because the identification was done without his consent. Under Belize’s Law, an accused has the right to object to any kind of identification, but the Police have the right to still do an identification covertly.  In this case, the identification was carried out in a group setting. At least four witnesses were called to give testimony on the process of the identification that the Police used in this instance.   Patrick Harris is accused of the murder of Dillon Grinage, who was killed in Sand Hill Village, Belize District on December thirty-first, 2016.