In March four high profile prisoners were charged with drug trafficking after they were allegedly busted with 274 grams of marijuana in a cell. The prisoners are accused double murderers Taedron Bennett and Joseph Kee, along with Mark Sewell – who is wanted in the USA for drug trafficking, and Antonio Guevarra, who is serving time for manslaughter. All four had their day in court today and they won. This morning their attorney Dickie Bradley got Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie to throw out the charges.
The main reason is because Rose Kelly, the prison officer who allegedly found the marijuana in the cell, could not describe the packaging in court. And since she couldn’t describe the package, it couldn’t be tendered into evidence. And so without the marijuana – there was no case. Kelly allegedly found the bag behind a toilet in the bathroom and while she suspected it was weed – it wasn’t opened until police arrived. Bradley argued that his clients weren’t present for the search and discovery.
And while they beat the drug trafficking rap, all four men are still in jail tonight. Bennett and Kee are awaiting trial for the murder of brothers Phillip and Kevin Brannon. Guevarra is presently serving a sentence for manslaughter and Mark Sewell is awaiting extradition. His extradition hearing should have been held today but no one from the Solicitor General’s office showed up. It has been adjourned to July 31st.
