By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

THREE police officers accused of manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of 31-year-old Azario Major are seeking a judge-alone trial under legislation passed this year allowing defendants to waive their right to a jury.

At a Supreme Court hearing yesterday, attorney Keevon Maynard, who represents Sergeant 2825 Antonio Sweeting, Sergeant 3039 Jamal Johnson, and Sergeant 3726 Deangelo Rolle, indicated he intends to file an application for a bench trial. If approved, it would be one of the first major cases to test the reform.

The move comes more than two years after a Coroner’s Court jury found Major’s death to be homicide by manslaughter. The officers are accused of fatally shooting him in his car outside a bar on Fire Trail Road on December 26, 2021.

Justice Guillimina Archer-Minns told the men their trial is scheduled to begin on June 1, 2026, with a status hearing set for February 25, 2026. If the matter cannot proceed on the scheduled date, an alternative trial date of March 8, 2027, has been fixed.

Mr Maynard has previously raised concerns about the potential effect of pre-trial publicity on jurors.

In March, Parliament passed a bill giving defendants the option to waive jury trials. Prime Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the change, which mirrors practices in countries such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, would help guard against jury bias, shorten trials, and improve efficiency. Former chief justices also endorsed the move at the 25th anniversary of the Eugene Dupuch Distinguished Lecture, saying jury trials posed ongoing challenges.

Still, the reform has its critics. Long Island MP Adrian Gibson warned a single judge could bring personal biases to bear on a case, suggesting a three-judge panel would be a better safeguard despite higher costs. East Grand Bahama MP Kwasi Thompson questioned whether defendants would even pursue judge-alone trials, noting Bahamians are accustomed to juries and many may prefer to take their chances with them.