The preliminary inquiry for police Superintendent Yvonne Martin-Daley, who has been charged with vehicular manslaughter of a policeman, will start on April 30.

When the case came up for mention in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court last Thursday, Clerk of the Court Floyd McNab said the Crown would be ready to proceed on the new date.

Defence attorney Anthony Pearson asked for the case to be dismissed, saying his client had suffered financially - her pay has been cut by a quarter - while on interdiction.

McNab, however, argued that an alleged eyewitness for the accused was not credible as he was related to Martin-Daley.

The incident

Facts of the case are that about 7:30 a.m. on July 15, 2008, Constable Mark Needham of the Motorised Patrol Division was travelling in an easterly direction along the Spanish Town Bypass in St Catherine.

Upon reaching the vicinity of the Matrix Ice Company, the super-intendent, who was driving a Suzuki Grand Vitara SUV in the same direction, made a U-turn. Needham's motorcycle collided with Martin-Daley's vehicle. He died on the spot.

A file was sent to the director of public prosecutions and Martin-Daley was subsequently charged with vehicular manslaughter. She has maintained her innocence in court appearances.

SOURCE: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20090324/news/news6.html