Murder case falls apart in Supreme Court

In the Supreme Court on Tuesday a charge of murder was dismissed against a Belize City man after the prosecution entered a motion of nolle prosequi. Court reports are that the case against twenty-two year old Jeffrey Flowers fell apart when the main witness in the case, Francis Petillo–himself in handcuffs for other offences–told the court that he was no longer interested in participating in the matter. That left Majorie Moyston no option but to withdraw the charges against Flowers. He had been accused of the March 2004 murder of William Staine Junior whose body was found in a drain near Western Avenue with his throat slashed and several stab wounds to the body. Although the defendant has been cleared of the murder charge, he remains in custody tonight facing several other unrelated indictments.