LAWYER ‘FEELS VINDICATED’ AFTER JAIL TIME

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

GEOFFREY Farquharson feels “vindicated” having served 14 days in jail for refusing to pay a $2,000 fine for contempt of court.

The lawyer spoke to The Tribune yesterday outside the Ansbacher House, the very Supreme Court building he was led out of to be sent to Her Majesty’s Prison for his behaviour during last year’s Kofhe Goodman murder trial.

“I feel vindicated” he said when asked how it felt to be released and allowed to continue his client’s murder trial. “I’m not particularly concerned and I think that once the appeal has been settled, the questions are going to be whether it was right to do that, whether it was hasty, whether the court exercised good judgement, whether there was a rush to judgement, whether the court wanted to ensure that I spend time in prison before the justice of this matter was decided.”

“I think we all will get a chance to see the outcome with respect to that,” he added.

Justice Bernard Turner had delayed the continuation of Christopher Butler’s case on Tuesday because the accused still wished to be defended by Mr Farquharson. The case had already been adjourned with the view that Mr Farquharson would possibly return after serving two-thirds of his sentence for contempt.

Days before his arrest, Mr Farquharson told The Tribune he was “terrified” of going to jail, but added that he would to take a principled stance not to pay the fine ordered.

Yesterday he said the experience had been “extremely useful”. “I got to see first hand what my client complained of on so many occasions and what the prison officers endure working in that place,” he added.

The sentence was an alternative punishment for Mr Faruharson’s behaviour during last year’s trial into the murder of Marco Archer during which his client, Kofhe Goodman, was convicted and eventually sentenced to death.

Mr Farquharson was found in contempt of court on May 22, the $2,000 fine was imposed on June 5 and he was arrested at the expiry of his 21-day deadline to pay his fine. The contempt ruling is being contested and Butler’s case is now scheduled to resume on July 16.

Comments

TalRussell says...

Comrades like me you too can write to Her Majesty Queen Liz to deplore the deficiencies in our Commonwealth Bahamaland's justice system, particular when it comes to whom and for what will can land your colonial subject's backside's to do jail time.

Her Majesty The Queen
Buckingham Palace
London SW1A 1AA

Dear Comrade Queen Liz

I humbly bow before Her Majesty to graciously ask Her Majesty to rename HM Fox Hill Prison to HM Fox Hill (Debtors) Prison.

You see Your Majesty lots of your colonial subjects get's the feelings that while murderers, rapists and common thieves will seldom see the inside of a prison cell, the same cannot be said, if you fail to pay a fine levied by one of Her Majesty's Courts.

Truth be told, Your Majesty, even House of Assembly MP's Senators and High Government Officials is be ducking they's jail time of two years, for failure to file they's required by the criminal law - Financial Disclosure Statements, while those Comrades who cannot afford or refuse to pay they fines are placed on Her Majesty's recklessly driven prison buses.

I remain your most humble Comrade Colonial Subject Servant

Tal Russell

Posted 12 July 2014, 5:58 p.m. Suggest removal

Tarzan says...

Counsel before the Bar. "Vindicated by jail time." "Nuff said.

Posted 12 July 2014, 11:48 p.m. Suggest removal

ayatollah says...

Thanks tal Russell..lol

Posted 13 July 2014, 7:43 a.m. Suggest removal

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