THE JAMAICAN Government believes that the arrangements currently in place relating to the legal representation and guardianship for Jamaican-born U.S. sniper suspect, Lee Boyd Malvo, are satisfactory.
In a letter to Caribbean Justice, copies of which were issued to the media yesterday, Minister of Justice and Attorney General, A.J. Nicholson said: "The arrangements currently in place relating to legal representation and guardianship appear to be satisfactory."
"With respect to the consular aspect, I can assure you that, in accordance with established international norms, the Consular Services of Jamaica's diplomatic representation in the United States have had access to Mr. Malvo. I can assure you that they will continue to provide him with all possible assistance," the Attorney General said.
Mr. Nicholson also pointed out that recent efforts by the prosecution to have Malvo's court-appointed guardian removed on technical grounds were rejected by the Court.
However, he said that he noted the concerns raised by Caribbean Justice, an England-based group working for the abolition of the death penalty in the region, about the treatment of Malvo by U.S. prosecutors and the move to have him tried as an adult. The concerns were raised in a letter to Mr. Nicholson on November 27.
The Attorney-General said that the Jamaican Government was closely monitoring the situation, "primarily through the instrumentality of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade." But, he said, notwithstanding some reservations on Jamaica's side regarding the process, "we also have to be sensitive to the laws and legal processes of sovereign countries, in this case, the United States of America."
Malvo, 17, and U.S. citizen John Allen Muhammad, 41, are suspected in the shootings of 18 people in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C., Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana. Their arrest at a rest stop in Maryland in October ended a three-week shooting spree in the Washington, D.C., area that left 10 people dead and three others seriously wounded. Both are charged with capital murder.
