Advocacy Group Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) has appealed to the Director of Public Prosecutions to have the Mario Deane case, which has been delayed several times since 2014 moved to Kingston, in a bid to expedite it.

Thirty-one-year-old Deane lost his life while in police custody on a marijuana-related charge in Montego Bay, St. James.

The initial trial date for the officers charged was set for September 21, 2017, however, the case has faced a series of postponements, with at least ten delays occurring between 2017 and September 21, 2022.

Executive Director of JFJ, Mickel Jackson, expressed frustration at the continuous delays which she says have caused Deane’s mother to lose trust in the justice system.

The Executive Director said the inadequacies in the administration need to be addressed to eliminate the delay in court cases.

Ms. Jackson said the most recent court hearing on September 25, resulted in yet another adjournment, pushing the trial to next February. 

She appealed to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions to have the matter be moved to Kingston, where she believes it will receive the attention and resources necessary for a fair and swift trial.

Ms. Jackson also called on the Justice Minister to review the juror system, which she said is one of the contributing factors that caused the delay in Deane’s case.