Twenty-three-year-old mother of two, Melissa Cort, appeared yesterday at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court before Chief Magistrate (ag) Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus after it was alleged that on February 5, while at the Supreme Court lockups, she took 20 cigarettes and one lighter to her boyfriend, Patrick Smith, who is on trial for a capital offence.
Cort pleaded not guilty, but later changed her plea to guilty for a lighter penalty.
The prosecutor told the court that on the day in question at about 11.50 hours, the officer on duty at the lockups encountered Cort who was delivering a box of food to her boyfriend, Smith, who is currently on trial for murder. On presenting herself to the officer she signed the ledger before handing over the food in a black plastic bag. Upon examining the food box, it was seen to contain chowmein, but closer inspection revealed a white plastic bag hidden below the food which contained 20 Pall Mall cigarettes and one lighter.
Cort was told of the offence and cautioned after which she was then taken to the narcotics branch where during an interview, she admitted that she was instructed by her boyfriend to place the items into the food box and take it to the prison, she also declined to sign her statements.
The prosecutor argued that she should have known that taking the items to the court lockups would be against the law and as such asked that she be kept in custody for the preservation of public order.
Attorney-at-law Stacy Giddings who represented the accused, told the magistrate that her client is a single mother and during consultation said she had no idea what was in the bag and that she was given the box of food by Kevin Smith, the brother of Patrick Smith, and asked by him to take lunch for her boyfriend.
The magistrate stood the matter down for some time to have Cort consult with a probation officer before instituting a penalty.
When the court resumed, the probation officer said that Cort indicated to her that she was not aware of what the box contained, and that she was not forced or threatened by anyone. The officer expressed on behalf of Cort, the remorse she felt and that this was her first offence. The magistrate then questioned Cort about her varying stories as opposed to what she told the prosecution and her lawyer. The magistrate again stood the matter down allowing her the chance to speak with her legal counsel. When they returned, Cort changed her plea to guilty, as a result the magistrate fined her $60,000 for the offence committed and she was let go.
