western bureau

Four of 10 alleged persons implicated in the murder of four persons including two brothers in Norwood, St. James were denied bail in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Oniel Murray, his brother Damion Murray, Jerome Madurie and Otis Brown appeared in court to answer charges in connection with the November 20 killings.

The four men, said to be of Bottom Pen, Glendevon addresses in St. James and are between ages 18 and 22 years, were allegedly pointed out by a lone eyewitness.

The witness claims that they were among a group of men who went to the homes of 46-year-old labourer, Albert Smith; his stepson Racaldo Henry, a 19-year-old tiler; 16-year-old Richard Wauchope and his 14-year-old brother Richardo Wauchope of the Albion Primary and Junior High School, and fatally shot the men.

The accused men are each charged with four counts of murder and two counts of arson.

Teary-eyed

Oniel Murray became teary-eyed as Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry denied bail stating that she had a responsibility to protect the public and the eyewitness and said the evidence against the men was strong. The post-mortem reports are still outstanding.

Allegations are that about 3 a.m. on November 20, a group of men went to a section of Norwood in search of Richard. It is said that they kicked open the door to a house where they saw Richardo and his mother.

The two were dragged to a neighbouring house where the other three men were seen. They were fatally shot and the two houses set ablaze before the gunmen left the scene. the police detained Murray and the other men, the following week.