Jury discharged halfway through murder trial

(CNS): Justice Cheryll Richards discharged a jury of eight women and four men on Tuesday, exactly one week after the crown opened its case against Kirk Lindsay Watler (55) from Bodden Town for killing George Ian Duffle (51) in October 2022. The judge released the jury for legal reasons, and in a brief explanation in open court, she raised concerns that the panel had not adhered to her directions.

She said that the court had become aware that the jury was in possession of information about the case that could be prejudicial, and in the interest of being fair to both the crown and the defence, she had to let them go.

The case was stopped at the halfway point as the crown was due to close its case on Tuesday before the hearing was derailed. As a result, the trial was adjourned until the end of January, when a new jury will be sworn and the case will be presented afresh.

Watler is charged with murdering Duffle following an altercation in West Bay more than two years ago. Duffle died from multiple stab wounds in what the crown has called a vicious attack that took place at a yard in Birch Tree Hill. The crown has built the case largely on Watler’s DNA found under Duffle’s fingernails.

Watler has denied the charges and claimed that while he had assisted Duffle earlier in the evening in a confrontation with other men, he did not kill him.