By Nagra Plunkett, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
THEODORE WHITMORE, the national footballer, is booked to go before the Trelawny Circuit Court today to answer a motor manslaughter charge arising from the death of his teammate, Stephen "Shorty" Malcolm.
Charges were brought against Whitmore after a six-member Coroner's jury ruled that he was criminally responsible for Malcolm's death in a motor vehicle accident in January last year. The all-female jury made the ruling on June 26.
Coroner Vivienne Hall-Brevere presided over the inquest, during which 10 persons gave depositions.
Whitmore, 29, was granted $200,000 bail, with surety, on June 28 when he was formally charged in the Duncans RM Court.
He was represented by attorney-at-law Walter Scott, who also watched proceedings on his behalf during the inquest.
Whitmore scored two goals against Japan to give Jamaica its only win in its first appearance at the 1998 Football World Cup.
Malcolm, the father of two boys, died from head injuries on the night of January 28, 2001 after the 1993 Toyota Mark II car in which he was travelling with Whitmore and Charles Ewan overturned. Following the incident along the Spring Hill main road near Duncans in Trelawny, there was a conflict as to who had been driving the vehicle.
The Coroner's jury subsequently found that Whitmore was driving the car and that he should be charged with manslaughter.
