Case crumbles as crown withdraws prosecution

Meanwhile, today in the Supreme Court another case crumbled for want of prosecution. According to court reports, twenty-one year old Andre Trapp, accused of Attempted Murder, Use of Deadly Means of Harm, Dangerous Harm, and Aggravated Assault, walked down Regent Street a free man after crown counsel Kamar Henry told the court that the prosecution will offer no evidence in the case. As a result, the jury was ordered to return a not guilty verdict for Trapp. As Justice Troadio Gonzalez explained, “the exercise may sound ridiculous but it does have legal ramifications. If it was a nolle prosequi the prosecution can bring it back, but with this exercise, there is no way in the world the prosecution can bring it back.” The charges against Trapp stem from two separate incidents. In February 2004, he was allegedly the gunman who shot Godfrey Hemsley at the corner of Albert Street and Yarborough Road. Two months later, in April 2004, Trapp was charged again, this time with stabbing Leon Soberanis in the base of the neck. As we understand it, Trapp can only be retried for a charge of dangerous harm against Jonathan Faber that occurred in February 2004, as in that instance the crown entered a nolle prosequi.