Man walks free from Christmas Day murder charge

| 02/06/2019 | 21 Comments
Cayman News Service

Darrington Ebanks

(CNS): William Isaac Ebanks-Romero (21), who was charged with shooting Darrington Ebanks (29) dead on Christmas Day, walked away from court Friday on the eve of his trial after the crown dropped all charges against him. Ebanks-Romero, from West Bay, had been in custody since his arrest two days after the murder, which happened in the area of King Road and Fountain Lane in West Bay during the early morning hours of Tuesday, 25 December. Prosecutors told the court that the evidence against him “did not provide sufficient nexus to support the charge”.

Defence attorney Crister Brady raised concerns back in February about the lack of evidence against his client for the fatal shooting, and had asked the crown to review the case and for a dismissal hearing, as there were no forensics or witness statements connecting Ebanks-Romero to the killing.

Cayman News Service

William Isaac Ebanks-Romero

The court heard that after alleged early witnesses to an altercation between the men had refused to confirm their evidence in writing, the crown had continued to look for more evidence and had sought to continue with the case against him. But after a review, prosecutors said no further evidence had come to light and confirmed that they would not be continuing with the case against the West Bay suspect.

The judge therefore dismissed the charges against him of murder and possession of an unlicensed firearm.

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Category: Courts, Crime

Comments (21)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    People can’t complain about rising crime and violence or corruption if they don’t do anything to help – dpp can’t do anything if witnesses don’t come forward and the evidence isn’t there. Police can’t do anything if the community doesn’t help in catching these people. End result is people getting away with murder….literally!

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  2. Anonymous says:

    sue them…privy council which is binding om grand court says he should get compensation in previous case? parents…look it up on balii.org.. hire a lawyer

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  3. Anonymous says:

    8:31am DPP office, judiciary and the other law agencies did their jobs. Man walked free what did you want to see happen?. The law enforcers to be voilent. Sounds like if you are angry and you want the law enforcers to be the same way. Sorry they can’t do that, they are to listen, serve and protect.

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  4. Laughing says:

    Compensation?

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  5. Say it like it is says:

    I understand from the Compass report that he can still be prosecuted if further evidence comes to light.

    CNS: Everyone can be prosecuted if evidence against them comes to light.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The point is the case was dismissed at the request of the DPP due to insufficient evidence as opposed to it being ruled that he was not guilty. Big difference.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Q. How did this get to charges, detention, and a case management hearing if there were no evidence to hold him?

    We need to ask more questions about how and why our money is being wasted on recurring doomed DPP theatrics.

    Who was the judge?

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    • Anonymous says:

      What difference does the judge make? Prosecution turns up and says they dont want to proceed, what do you expect the judge to do exactly?

  7. Anonymous says:

    If I am reading this correctly, the witnesses (how many?) refused to confirm evidence in writing the case was dropped?
    Is that really a thing? I would imagine that is to insure that they do not recant their verbal statements at trial?

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Why can’t the Court subpoena the witnesses? Swear them in and if they refuse to give evidence – they’re guilty contempt of Court!

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    • Anonymous says:

      A witness does not mean they seen it happen it can be before or after the fact.

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    • totally devastated says:

      Totally agree with you …I said the same thing.. another murder case gone cold..these our so called police officers needs to go on retirement..let the younger civilized Caymanian youth take over..this is totally f@@@@kery..cant believe this at all…something not right here..GOD IS HIS NEXT JUDGE..LETS SEE HOW HE GA RUN FROM THE POWERFUL FATHER IN HEAVEN..!!!!

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      • Anonymous says:

        Not defending anyone but you cant put a face to a masked man. Funny how no one has confidence in police when things dont go their way in court. If they are so unintelligent, why do you have faith in them when they have arrested someone? The law is the law, some slip through some dont.

      • Anonymous says:

        Murder case gone cold? They arrested him the following day. How is that “going cold”? And if you mean it will go cold now its dismissed, if no one will come forward and there is no forensic evidence what exactly is it you think the police should have done?

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  9. Anonymous says:

    The Cayman public must note that freedom can’t come without justice. We’re failing at both because of corruption, obstruction, and plain old incompetence.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Explain how this is a result of corruption, obstruction or incompetence? No witnesses, no forensics, Marl Road about the two had a beef but no one will stand up and support that in court. Police arrested the guy the following day so no delay in securing him – but if he didn’t have a gun on him, no gunshot residue, and he denies he did it…How does that fit into any category – other than failure of our society for people prepared to stand up and be witnesses. Or do# you have some evidence that the police investigation was flawed, or that its corrupt?

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      • Anonymous says:

        So why did they keep him if they didn’t have any evidence in the first place ? And the two so called witnesses that heard a argument earlier that day LOL. Arguments cannot be evidence by itself that’s weak AF . They kept him Hoping that more evidence would magically appear??!! TF is wrong with you ppl seriously so the government is falsely imprisoning young Caymanians now ?

  10. Anonymous says:

    Unbelievable!

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  11. Anonymous says:

    more incompetence from the dpp…

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