When Sherman Williams (left) appeared in the High Court yesterday July 14 after his lawyer Mr Stephen R. Daniels made bail application he was granted liberty under certain conditions; bail to the sum of $100K with two signed sureties and that he does not set foot on the sister island of Virgin Gorda before the conclusion of the trial. Photo: VINO/File

Neil St. Rose aka Rasta. Photo: Facebook

However, yesterday July 14, 2014 when Williams appeared in the High Court after his lawyer Mr Stephen R. Daniels made bail application he was granted liberty under certain conditions; bail to the sum of $100K with two signed sureties and that he does not set foot on the sister island of Virgin Gorda before the conclusion of the trial.

He was also placed on curfew between the hours of 9:00 pm 6:00 am, and is to avoid contact with any of the witnesses, report to the Road Town Police Station on a weekly basis and also had to surrender his travel documents.

Due to the failed attempt to dispense justice as Justice Vikki Ann Ellis had no choice but to discharge the jury as they failed to come to a unanimous majority vote decision, the trial has been traversed to the October 2014 assizes.

See previous story published on June 26, 2014:

UPDATE: Jury discharged in Williams/Demming murder trial

-Case to be traversed to October Assizes

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Justice Vikki Ann Ellis tonight June 26, 2014 discharged the Jury in the attempted murder trial against Sherman Williams and Jevon Demming as they failed to arrive at a unanimous or majority vote decision in the case of both men who were on trial for the attempted murder of Neil St. Rose on September 30, 2013.

According to Justice Ellis the matter will have to be traversed for the next assizes which starts on October 7, 2014.

It was ordered by the court that Demming remain on bail under the same conditions while Williams will remain in custody until July 10, 2014 when a bail application is scheduled to be heard by Justice Ellis.

See previous story published on June 24, 2014:

UPDATE: Attorneys file legal submission in VG attempted murder trial

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – When the High Court gets in session this morning June 24, 2014 it is likely that Justice Vikki Ann Ellis will be handing down her decision as it relates to legal submission filed by Attorneys at Law Stephen R. Daniels and Patrick Thompson.

The case before the High Court is that of the Sherman Williams and Jevon Demming who were jointly charged for attempting to murder Neil St. Rose on September 30, 2013 on the premises of Rock Café Bar and Restaurant on Virgin Gorda, Virgin Islands.

The trial commenced on June 18, 2014 before a panel of Jurors. Both sides, the Crown represented by Principle Crown Counsel Tiffany R. Scatliffe and the two Attorneys Thompson and Daniels and presented their final statements as it relates to witnesses taking to the stand yesterday June 23, 2014.

The two lawyers then made a legal submission which had to be heard in the absence of the jurors in following the principle of court proceeding and it is based on this that Justice Ellis is likely to make a ruling this morning.

This news site will bring the developments in this case as they unfold. 

See Previous Story Published on June 18, 2014:

Neil St. Rose testified to being shot while on knees 

-Sherman Williams & Jevon Demming attempted murder trial commenced today

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The High Court trial for two men, Sherman Williams and Jevon Demming, accused of attempting to murder Neil St. Rose aka Rasta, on September 30, 2012 while on the premises for Rock Café Bar and Restaurant on Virgin Gorda, Virgin Islands (VI) commenced today June 18, 2014.

Sitting as Judge in the trial is Justice Vikki Ann Ellis. Representing the Crown is Principal Crown Counsel Tiffany Scatliffe and for the accused are Attorneys-at- Law Stephen R. Daniels and Patrick Thompson.

In her opening statement to the jurors and the court Ms Scatliffe recalled that the crime which occurred on September 30, 2012 resulted from a fight among the three. She told the court that it is alleged the fight took place in the parking lot of the Rock Café when the virtual complainant Mr St Rose was struck by both of the accused resulting in him falling to the ground.

She told the court that while St Rose was on the ground he was shot, including in the region of the abdomen by the accused who both fled the scene immediately after.

She told the court that the Crown intends to bring as witnesses in the trial proceedings the Virtual Complainant (VC) Mr St Rose, two eyewitnesses who were on the scene of the crime on the day in question and others who are said to be key in the success of a fair trial. Those include investigating Officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) and medical personnel.

The VC and the victim in the matter Mr Neil St. Rose a resident of North Sound Virgin Gorda, recalled that on the day in question sometime after 04:00 am there was a dance at the Rock Café where he had about five Guinness at the bar. "After having a few drinks at the bar I went to the dance floor,” he told the court.

“After a while I stood on the side [and] I felt someone push me from behind, when I felt the push I look behind and it was Jevon Demming at my back … I know him as I Jay,” he further recalled. He said that he was acquainted with Demming for over five years. He said that he then asked Demming what was going on and he responded by flinging his hands in the air, “But I did not hear what he was saying because the music was playing,” said the VC.

He recalled that Sherman Williams aka Herb man and another person then immediately surrounded him then shortly after left him without attacking him, then he went outside for a while then returned inside the club and Williams was present in the crowd.

He recalled as he along with others were coming out of the club he had cause to push Williams as he was allegedly holding him back. “It was wrong to push him… Mr Williams was right in front of me… he was like [keeping me back], like when somebody don’t want you to go forward,” alleged St Rose under oath.

He said that this resulted in Williams ‘coming on to him’ and they were parted. He said he then tried to head away towards his vehicle, “same time I look I saw Mr Williams with a gun…just the end of the stairs,” said the VC.

“When I saw him with the gun I start backing off from behind and then I turned and went forward to my vehicle then I hear a gunshot. When I look from behind I saw Mr Jevon coming… I grab a stone to defend myself, I saw Mr Willams coming towards me like 10 to 15 feet with the gun in the air like this (pointing finger over head).

He said that he dropped the stone after seeing Williams with the gun, “I thought Williams would have shot me if I hit Jevon with the stone, that is why I dropped the stone,” he said. He then said that both accused continued to approach in his direction. He recalled before Williams could have reached him he had cause to hit Demming’s hands from his face twice.

When Williams got to him he hit him with the gun to the back of his head and Demming hit him on the bridge of his nose while holding on this his shirt. “I fell down on my knee… when I fell down on my knee Mr Williams rest the gun right here, on my neck and shot me… I didn’t do anything, I pass out… when I catch myself I know I was shot because I heard the gun go.”

He said he then felt his shirt wet then he felt his penis burning, he place his hand in the region and discovered he was bleeding. He then got up holding the two areas where he was bleeding from and went in search of someone to take him to the clinic and was successful.

He also recalled not seeing either Williams or Demming when he had gotten up after being ‘knocked out’.

The first witness to have taken to the witness box this morning was Detective Sergeant Wendell Ballantyne who recalled what he saw and did on the scene of the crime on September 30, 2012 having arrived sometime after 9:00am.

He testified that during a walkthrough of the areas he observed shell casing, several pieces of jewellery, an ‘ites gold and green’ 'tam' and something that appeared to have been a projectile among other items which were photographed and marked by him. Photographs of those items were shown both electronically and physically to the court.

Under cross examination by Lawyer Daniels, Ballantyne confirmed that he could not say what firearm discharged the spent shell,  when the projectile was placed on the scene, if projectile was tested for the DNA of the alleged victims, and could not say if any gunshot residue were found on the clothes of the accused for which Daniels is attorney.

Attorney Patrick Thompson also crossed examined the witness and the jurors also had questions put to Ballantyne. The trial is currently in progress. More details to follow.