Underwood freed of Faber’s Murder

Alexander Underwood

Another man was freed of a murder charge today in Belize City Supreme Court.  He is twenty-two year old Alexander Underwood, who has been in prison since the June, 2009 murder of twenty-five year old Jonathan Faber.  The trial lasted over a week and Prosecutor, Shamilla Williams, called six witnesses; three of whom did not show up this afternoon.  Their absence meant the end of the prosecution’s case. During the trial, a voire dire was also held to determine whether the result of an identification parade would be used as evidence, since Underwood was forced into the exercise against his will. In that regard, Justice Adolph Lucas ruled that in his view, Underwood’s constitutional rights had been violated because no man should be forced to give evidence against himself.  He was acquitted this afternoon when his attorney, Alifah Elrington Hyde made a no case submission, arguing that the crown had not established a prima facie case against her client. Justice Lucas upheld the submission and ordered the jury to free Underwood.  The murder occurred on June twentieth, 2009 in the Yarborough area where Faber was hanging out with a friend, Orin Michael. It was alleged that Underwood approached the men and opened fire, hitting Faber as many as six times to the body.