He's been on remand for four years - but still, there's no bail for a man accused of murder. An application for bail by attorney Daryl Bradley for 34 year old Ted Armstrong charged with the murder of 32 year old Jerome Longsworth, has been denied by Justice Herbert Lord.
Longsworth was fatally injured when he was stabbed in his neck on July 14th, 2006 at Hattieville. Bradley submitted that his client should be granted bail because he has been incarcerated for over 4 years and that it was an affront to his rights due under the constitution. Bradley also said that there was evidence that it was a case of self defense because it was the deceased who grabbed a line stick and chased the petitioner with it.
The prosecution represented by Crown Counsel Christelle Wilson, objected to bail on the grounds that there was a strong possibility that Armstrong will not appear for trial if granted bail. She also said that the petition does not disclose any special reasons why bail should be granted and that there are reasonable grounds to suspect that the petitioner has committed the crime alleged in the information and complaint.
In his ruling Justice Lord said he is satisfied that reasonable grounds have been established that the accused may have committed the crime and that a trial had began in 2009 which was later aborted. He also said the matter has been set for trial shortly and that the time is not unreasonable. Armstrong's trial is set to begin on September 30.
