Last week, President of The Bar Association Jackie Marshalleck told 7news that they had written a letter to Justice of Appeal Morrisson and Mottley urging them to sit out the October session of the Court Of Appeals. Because government had stripped them of their security of tenure and put them on short term contracts.
But it seems that caution was not heeded because the Court Of Appeal convened as normal today.
And no one was happier about that than alleged serial rapist Leroy Gomez. Gomez had been convicted of rape, robbery and aggravated assault in August and sentenced to a 20 year term.
But the Court of Appeal set aside his sentences and quashed his convictions. The appeal was allowed on the grounds that his image was broadcast n television before an identification parade was held - and the judge did not deal with that point in his summation.
Director of public prosecutions Cheryl Lyn Vidal asked for a retrial for Gomez but the justices of appeal said it would not be fair to him to face another trial due to an error by the judge and with that they acquitted Gomez. Gomez was not represented by an attorney at the appeal.
But although Gomez was acquitted he was not freed because he is serving time for robbery for which he was granted parole and he violated that parole. Gomez was freed of charges of attempted rape and robbery last month when the complainant chose not to testify. He was also freed of a charge of rape and robbery when a nolle pros was entered because the complainant had died.
Gomez has another case involving charges of rape and robbery for which trial is still pending in the Supreme Court.
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