After many delays and a circus of court shenanigans from defence lawyers, alleged gang leader Stephen ‘Die’ Stubbs was acquitted in Magistrate’s Court Tuesday of two drug charges brought against him last year. He had been facing a minimum of four years in prison if convicted.
The 38-year-old Ridgeland Park resident was hauled before Deputy Chief Magistrate Carolita Bethell with 10 other men. They faced one charge each of conspiracy to possess and possession of dangerous drugs with intent to supply.
Prosecutors claim that Stubbs and his co-accused conspired to possess and were in possession of 15 packets of marijuana with intent to supply.
31-year-old Giovanni Roberts of Strachan’s Alley was the fall guy for the group. Of all 11 defendants, the deputy chief magistrate ruled that the prosecution had only brought sufficient evidence against him.
The magistrate ruled that prosecutors had not presented sufficient evidence against the others.
They were all acquitted and discharged… except Mr Stubbs.
Stubbs was handcuffed and returned to prison, where he is presently serving a four-year sentence after being convicted last September for his part in a $6 million drug smuggling operation in 2009.
Mr Roberts was represented by Roger Gomez II, who advised his client to say nothing, but told the magistrate they would need the court’s assistance with getting two of the witnesses to be present to testify. Robert’s defence begins on Friday, February 8.
The other defendants were: Dominic Levarity, of Armbrister Street, Fox Hill; Charles Davis, of St Margaret Road; Nevardo Nairn of Commonwealth Boulevard; Gerald Davis of Samana Drive, Marathon Estates; Dwight Stuart, of Lyon Road; Tavaris Miller of Kemp Road; Ricardo Davis of Dunmore Street; Shethron Darville of Eastwood; Antoine Bastian of Abraham Street; and Keno Whymms of Abraham Street.
