Regan “Grey Boy” Rodrigues was on Monday morning set free for the second time for the murder of Courtney Crum-Ewing when he appeared before Magistrate Judy Latchman at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
Rodrigues broke down in tears in the packed courtroom after hearing the verdict given by the Magistrate who gave him his freedom on the indictable charge brought against him.
He was charged for the killing of Courtney Crum-Ewing, who was slain on March 10, 2015 at Diamond, East Bank Demerara.
Upon commencement of the morning’s proceedings, the accused stated on numerous occasions that he was “leaving everything up to God”. He added that the justice system was not fair and as such, “whatever happens, happen”.
When prompted, he made unsworn statements to Magistrate Latchman after which she adjourned the court for 25 minutes to deliberate on the evidence at her disposal.
In making her ruling, the Magistrate considered all of the facts presented to her.
She highlighted evidence given by the Crime Scene Analyst, Delicia Brown, whose submission to the court revealed that the .32 pistol and five .32 bullets found at the accused’s home was indeed the said gun used in the execution of Crum-Ewing.
However, she stated that no actual evidence was presented to the court to prove that Rodrigues pulled the trigger, thus committing the heinous act, even though 14 witness statements alleged such.
She also noted that the oral statements given by Rodrigues during the course of the investigation did not implicate him in the killing.
As such, the Magistrate told the court that the accused has no case to answer to, as the evidence that the tribunal might request was not available. Magistrate Latchman then told the accused that he was free to go.
Upon hearing the decision, Rodrigues burst into tears and as he was being led back into the lock-ups, he screamed, “Freedom! Freedom!”
Crum-Ewing was gunned down as he was at the time urging residents of Diamond to cast their ballots in the May 2015 elections.
Months after, Rodrigues was arrested and charged with the murder but was freed in September of 2016.
However, in April of 2017, he was rearrested after the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) ordered that the case be reopened.
According to the DPP, “The sole purpose of this remit is to take further evidence from Police witnesses and to rule on the voluntariness of all oral statements of the accused.”
He was at the time on bail after appealing a three-year sentence for escaping from Police custody.
Police, however, rearrested him in Middle Road, La Penitence, Georgetown.
