Omar Anderson, Gleaner Writer
Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe
DR. CAROLYN Gomes, executive director of Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ), narrowly escaped being jailed yesterday after rankling Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe in the Supreme Court.
The Chief Justice was continuing the summary of evidence in the Kraal murder case, involving Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reneto Adams and two other policemen, when Dr. Gomes' gesticulations caught his attention.
Based on the Chief Justice's utterances, it appeared Dr. Gomes was disagreeing with his direction to the jury.
"Mrs. Gomes, I will lock you up," the Chief Justice
shouted. "Just behave yourself. I fear no one but God."
Still upset, Wolfe further remarked that prosecution lawyers were present in court and were entitled to object to
his summary.
"Don't fool with me," Wolfe warned Dr. Gomes who was seated adjacent to the jury box. "You are not a greater defender of justice than I am."
LATER APOLOGISED
The Chief Justice later apologised for the disruption and continued his summary of the evidence. Five minutes later, he adjourned the sitting for a jury break which lasted 20 minutes.
Dr. Gomes still sat in court throughout this period. She however, left after the sitting reconvened minutes past noon.
Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Dr. Gomes said she did not know why the Chief Justice became angry, as she "was merely taking notes."
"I really don't know what I did to irritate the Chief Justice," she said. "I made no sound and did nothing to distract the jury."
Dr. Gomes, however, admitted that at one point she reacted non-verbally to the direction of the Chief Justice's summary.
"I shook my head, made up my face and wrote in my book," she stated, adding that the outburst of Chief Justice Wolfe was still unnecessary.
"If he had a difficulty with what I was doing, he could have waited until the jury left," Dr. Gomes said.
