(Trinidad Express) Eight of the ten men on trial for the murder of businesswoman Vindra Naipaul-Coolman, were found not guilty of the crime yesterday afternoon.
Retrials have been ordered in the case of the two other murder accused.
The verdicts were announced at around 5.30p.m in the Hall of Justice, Port of Spain before Justice Malcolm Holdip.
It brings to an end a trial that began more than two years ago.
Naipaul-Coolman was kidnapped from her driveway at Lange Park, Chaguanas the night of December 19, 2006. Her body was never found.
On trial for her murder were Shervon Peters, Devon Peters, Anthony Dwayne Gloster, Keida Garcia, Jamille Garcia, Marlon Trimmingham, Earl Trimmingham, Ronald Armstrong, Antonio Charles and Lyndon James.
An eleventh accused Raphael William, died in prison in 2011. Twelfth accused Allan “Scanny” Martin was killed by police during a prison escape attempt last July. A 13th accused, Joel Fraser was freed during the trial after the judge upheld a no-case submission.
The jury was given the case at 12.30 pm and came back to the courtroom at 4.45 pm to ask the judge for directions of a particular issue.
The jury deliberated for a further 15 minutes before returning to announce the not guilty verdicts against eight, and to say that it was deadlocked in the case of two other accused – Lyndon James and Earl Trimmingham, who will face retrials.
