By Oracle News Daily
The Criminal Court “A” Tuesday granted defense lawyers’ request to fly into country a foreign pathologist to conduct an independent autopsy on the remains a teenage girl who a former Supreme Court judge is accused of killing.
lawyers of former Chief Justice Gloria Scott who is the daughter of the victim and one of three persons indicted for taking the girls life will also have the opportunity to visit the crime scene, Judge Roosevelt Z. Wellie said on September 12 in an open court in Monrovia.
The decision is intended to give the defense lawyers relevant information about the investigation on the murder saga to better prepare themselves to defend the defendants, he told the parties.
Judge Willie however informed the defense team that all expenses relating to the autopsy will be its obligation and not the Government of the Republic of Liberia.
He said in other for the foreign pathologist to do his work in the country, he/she must first submit credentials and other relevant documents to the Liberian Medical authorities for onward verification and clearance four or five days to the trial.
He mandated state prosecutors to preserve the body for as long as they can to enable autopsy be conducted in a transparent manner.
The Judge meanwhile disbanded two of the fifteen jurors who were selected and sequestrated to serve as judges of facts to bring down a verdict of guilty or not guilty either for or against the defendants at the end of the trial.
Stating the reason for the disbarment of the two jurors, He said in open court that the two jurors felt seriously sick during the course of the trial and was taken to the John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Monrovia.
He explained that while at the medical facility, the two jurors came in contact with the public when their family members entered the hospital to visit and interact with them.
He added that it is normal regulation that when the juries are sequestrated, they remain under control and are not to interact with any member of the public until the case is dispose of.
Judge Willie noted that while the Jury’s law called for fifteen member jurors’ panel, the both parties (prosecution & defense lawyers) have agreed that the remaining thirteen jurors should remain on the panel and hear the trial.
The trial continues on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, at which time the state is expected to produce her second witness to testify and prove the guilt of the defendants.
Charloe Musu, the daughter of former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scott was gruesomely murdered early this year at the home of her mother in Brewerville Township and the state is prosecuting her and others for the crime.
