Oscar Selgado Returns to Court
The trial against attorney Oscar Selgado continued today in the courtroom of High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim. Selgado stands accused of abetment to commit murder against Marilyn Barnes. The voir dire is to determine whether Giovanni Ramirez’s statement can be relied upon by the court. Ramirez, who refuses to testify out of fear, reportedly handed over to police a recording of a conversation between himself and Selgado, detailing Selgado’s alleged request to have Barnes killed. Hipolito Novelo was at court today and has the latest.
Hipolito Novelo, Reporting
Today, attorney Oscar Selgado was on the defense inside and outside the courtroom.
Oscar Selgado
Oscar Selgado, Defendant
“That is why people “bax” things out of your hands, ‘bax’ phone out of your hand and thing like that.”
Selgado, who is accused of abetment to commit murder against Marilyn Barnes, appeared before High Court Justice Nigel Pilgrim as his trial continued. He was cross-examined on Monday and today the voir dire to determine as fact that key witness Giovanni Ramirez is in fear of his life, unwilling to testify because of that fear and whether his statement can be relied upon by the court, concluded.
Adolph Lucas SC
Today, Selgado’s attorney, Senior Counsel Adolph Lucas,was expected to call two witnesses. The first was expected to be a medical professional from the KHMH who would confirm that Ramirez was shot. That witness was reluctant to testify because he was unsure how he would be of any help to court. Justice Pilgrim reminded Lucas that the reluctance might have been because of data protection laws that prevent a person’s medical records be shared without the person’s consent or a court order. The second witness was Junior IT Application Specialist, Marco Marin, who searched BTL’s Call Detail Records Database on a court order to establish if there were calls made between Selgado and Ramirez between February 6th and March 15th, 2019. Marin told the court that no records were found for the specified period.
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
Director of Public Prosecution, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal asked Marin if BTL records phone calls made via social media apps. Marin said no. Vidal is expected to file written submissions on November fifteenth, after which the defense will respond on November twenty-second. The trial was adjourned to November twenty-third.
At the conclusion of the trial today, Selgado exited through the back of the building, but News 5 followed and got this response:
Oscar Selgado
Oscar Selgado, Defendant
“You don’t have respect for people’s privacy. No respect at all. What do you expect me to do when the case in on. I told you all when the case finish, I will give you an interview. I cannot comment on case when it is before the court. I’ve said that over and over. Then you will go and play this on the nation. Well go and play it for the nation because the nation does not describe or the nation does not determine what happens in the court. But you all have no respect for my privacy or for your job, the decency and the professionalism of your job. That is why people “bax” things out of your hands, ‘bax’ phone out of your hand and thing like that.”
Hipolito Novelo
“I am just doing my job Mr. Selgado.”
Oscar Selgado
“That is not your job. Your job is to go an interview Adolph Lucas who is my attorney. Your job is not to chase me down as a defendant. Know your job. I’ve said that over and over and I will not run from the media or hide from the media.”
Hipolito Novelo
“And you’ve apologized before for saying those same comments.”
Oscar Selgado
“I’ve done that out of decency for you all but you all need to know your jobs.”
Hipolito Novelo
“So you are saying that your apology a few weeks ago wasn’t sincere?”
Oscar Selgado
“I am not saying anything to you!”
Reporting for News Five, I am Hipolito Novelo
