Brothers charged with murder decline to offer evidence
Justin Ramoon (far left) and Osbourne Douglas escorted by prison officers as the court visits the scene of Jason Powery’s murder
(CNS): The two George Town brothers charged with the murder of Jason Powery, who was gunned down outside a bar last summer, will not take the stand in their own defence. As the crown closed its case Thursday afternoon, attorneys representing Osbourne Douglas and Justin Ramoon told the court the defendants would not be giving evidence on their own behalf or calling any other witnesses. Before the men confirmed their decision not to answer the charges, the presiding judge, Justice Charles Quin, reminded the defendants that while they were not obligated to take to the stand, a negative inference could be drawn if they did not.
The brothers have both pleaded not guilty to shooting Powery, from West Bay, who was shot in the head outside the Globe Bar in July last year. Two eyewitnesses have said Ramoon was the shooter, using a gun given to him by Douglas. But the brothers have alleged the witnesses are lying and that CCTV evidence relied on by the crown to support its witnesses is unreliable.
The defence teams have accused Justin Ebanks, one of the crown’s two key witnesses, of blaming the defendants in order to try and get off the gun charges that he faces following his arrest in January.
The brothers have admitted to being in the area on the night of the shooting, as they live very close to the bar, but have implied that it is a case of mistaken identity.
The crown’s case, headed up by Cheryl Richards QC, the director of public prosecutions, is that the brothers acted in a planned joint enterprise but prosecution has offered no motive for the killing. At the time of the murder, police suggested the shooting was gang related, and witnesses have indicated that Powery received a number of death threats on social media before his murder.
As the defendants are offering no evidence, the crown was expected to beginning summing up its case before Justice Quin Friday, ahead of the defence.
The case continues.
