Jury trials postponed for 3 weeks

(CNS): Once the three-month long ‘gold’ trial wraps up this week, the Grand Court is suspending all other jury trials for a period of six weeks, Chief Justice Anthony Smellie said in a statement from the courts Thursday. As the courts take action in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, they will be focusing on cases where a judge alone is presiding to avoid the proximity of people during jury selection and then service.

The chief justice said that Judicial Administration has already published its interim response measures on its website outlining how it will continue to provide access to the administration of justice in essential areas, while minimising risk to the health of members of staff, the jurors, the attorneys, other members of the public, police and prison officers, probation officers and other representatives of the various agencies who must interact with the courts for the delivery of justice.

But since then, more changes have been made and on Thursday CJ Smellie explained that three jury trials which were scheduled to take place over the suspension period would be delayed to another date. But in each case the defendants are on bail, which means the postponement of these case until later in the year will not impact their liberty.

Jurors who were due to attend court on Monday are not required to attend and their service period is now at an end. The new jury pool summoned to attend for the next session of the court on 1 April are still required to attend on that date unless otherwise advised by announcement in the media.

Any person summoned who is concerned about his or her health or needs to self-isolate in keeping with government guidelines should write in advance of the date to the clerk of court seeking an exemption. Jurors wishing to contact the court can call 244-3867 or email jury@judicial.ky.

Efforts will now be made to bring forward two other trials due to be heard in May by a judge alone to fill the slots made available by the delayed jury cases. Meanwhile, sentencing hearings set for next week will still go ahead via video link as the judges involved are in the UK and unable to travel here.

Remand hearings for persons in custody will be taken as far as possible by video-link from HMP Northward. Those on bail who are required to attend must still turn up and bail applications will go ahead as usual. Emergency applications will be taken as the need arises.

The courts have now activated a plan to enable each division of the court to continuing operating during this pandemic crisis, which is set out in the full statement from the chief justice in the CNS Library.