The prosecution’s appeal against the directed acquittal of two men accused of causing a deadly tour boat explosion through negligence has been adjourned to next month.
Prosecutors believe that Justice Jeanine Weech-Gomez erred in law when she withdrew the case against Clayton Patterson Smith, the owner of Four C’s Adventures, and Roderick Watson from the jury and told them to acquit the men.
The charges stemmed from a June 30, 2018 explosion in the Exumas that killed Maleka Jackson and wounded her husband, Tiran Jackson, Stephanie Schaffer, Stacy Bender and Paul Bender.
The men were jointly charged with manslaughter by negligence in Jackson’s death.
Watson, the boat’s captain, was charged with negligently causing harm to the other passengers, and Smith was accused of negligently endangering the boat’s passengers by not building the tour boat to industry standards.
Murrio Ducille, KC, who appeared along with Bryan Bastian, requested an adjournment of the appeal because he needed more time to prepare his arguments.
The matter has been adjourned to April 12.
Raquel Whymms prosecuted.
