Yampiece man pleads not guilty to four firearm related offenses and battery

A Yam Piece man slapped with four firearm-related offenses and battery is now seeking bail from the court following his not-guilty pleas to the charges.

Darlton Michael Joseph appeared before Magistrate Laudat on February 2, 2023, and opted for a summary trial in the Magistrate’s court for the five offenses.

It is alleged, on November 20, 2022, at Yam Piece, Stock Farm,  that Joseph did beat Matthew Nicholas.

On that same day, he is further accused of using a certain firearm namely, a chrome 9mm pistol, with the intention to assault Nicholas.

On the third charge, Joseph is accused of having in his possession the said chrome 9mm pistol on November 20, 2022, with the intention to endanger life.

He is further charged with having in his possession one round of .9mm ammunition with the intent to endanger life and for discharging the said ammunition in a public place namely the Yam Piece, Stock Farm, public road.

At Thursday’s hearing, Police Prosecutor, Inspector Frank Laville, did not object to bail.

However, an attempt by attorney-at-law Wayne Norde to make a formal bail application to the court was dismissed by Magistrate Michael Laudat.

According to the Magistrate, bail is at the discretion of the court as the bail act stipulates that bail is no longer a right to any defendant charged with a serious offense. In response, Norde argued, since the prosecution is aware of the facts of the case, then the courts should be so minded in granting bail to his client.

“The offense may seem serious on paper, but the facts and the circumstances may prove different. These alleged offenses are said to have occurred last year, a firearm was never recovered, and these complaints are only based on the accusation of one person,” the defense attorney posited. The formal bail application hearing was adjourned to February 3, 2023. The defendant was remanded into the custody of the investigating officer until such time.