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PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – A 46-year-old police officer goes on trial in July for manslaughter in a case in which he is accused of causing the death of a man he had arrested for allegedly using obscene in 2003.
Justice Lisa Ramsumair-Hinds during a virtual hearing, set the July 1 trial date for Constable Michael Morris who has been on suspension.
Morris is accused of unlawfully killing 23-year-old Shaun McLeod on September 5, 2003. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the San Fernando General Hospital, south of Port of Spain, shortly after being detained in the city.
An autopsy later revealed that McLeod died from blunt force trauma to his head and brain haemorrhaging. Morris, who was 26 years old at the time was released on EC$200,000 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) bail after being charged.
His attorney told the hearing that although she was assigned the case almost a month ago, she was ready to proceed with the trial and that her client wanted to be tried by a judge and jury and was not in favour of a judge-alone trial.
The state has said it will call 15 witnesses.
