by Tashieka Mair, Star Writer

western bureauu:

The preliminary enquiry in the case of the two men who were implicated in the February triple murder in Glendevon, St. James, failed to get underway on Tuesday as the subpoenas ordered for the two civilian witnesses were never served.

An outstanding forensic certificate was also placed on file when the two men - 18-year-old Odane Blackwood and Jermaine Barnes, 21, appeared before the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court. Blackwood is also answering an additional charge of murder in relation to another incident.

Attorney-at-law, Morrel Beckford asked that Barnes be granted bail as several applications made were denied because of the protracted delays in obtaining the forensic report.

However, RM Carolin Tie said she could not make any decision about bail as she is not familiar with the contents of the file. A second preliminary enquiry date was set for September 25.

The allegations against are that about 4:15 p.m. on February 8, a witness saw four men including the two accused going towards the home of two of the deceased, Senil and Derrick Taylor, at Felicity Crescent (Blood Lane), Glendevon.

According to the witness, the girlfriend of one of the deceased was also going towards the house. Explosions were heard and the four men, three of whom had guns, were seen running at the side of the house on to the road. The witness claims, however, that Blackwood did not have a weapon.

In Blackwood's fourth count of murder, which occurred on February 19, he was allegedly seen in an argument with a man at Blood Lane. It is said that he and another man, both armed, pushed the deceased into a yard. Explosions were heard and the deceased was found in the yard suffering from gunshot wounds.