Accused murderer walks, spends night in jail

In the justice system meanwhile, there have been far too many cases of accused killers getting off murder charges when witnesses refuse to testify; this has the public and the courts wary. In the most recent case today, however, the accused walked free and the witness spent the night behind bars. It involves the trial of twenty-two year old Joseph Bishop who was charged with the murder of thirty year old Julian Serano Sr. A.K.A. “Buff”. Bishop walked out of the court of Justice Adolphus Lucas a free man when Crown Counsel Nadine Palacio entered a nolle prosequi, indicating that the prosecution was unable to proceed with the case.

The trial got underway on Monday and already four witnesses had taken the stand but the chief witness Rachel Wallace refused to testify and Justice Lucas ordered her arrest. She was held in custody yesterday at the Queen Street lockup along with her child and today she still refused to take the dock. Wallace said she did not want to take the stand because she was threatened several times.

Serrano was killed at nine-forty-five p.m. on July tenth, 2007 in a yard on Guerrero Street. An assailant rode up on a bicycle and shot him to his upper and lower chest as well as his lower back. In discharging the jury today, Justice Lucas warned that the charge can be brought back against Bishop who was represented by attorney Ellis Arnold.