The word 'stupid' in reference to the seven-member jury trying the conspiracy to murder case of May businesswoman 34-year-old Althea Morgan Carr and bar operator Stephen Smith, of May Pen, Clarendon, raised strong objection yesterday from Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Jeremy Taylor.

"The crown is fishing and hoping to think you have some stupid people out there," defence lawyer Michael Lorne said as he asked the jury to find that the crown had no case against the accused Smith who he is representing.

Taylor asked Lorne to withdraw the word but Lorne said at first that he was standing by what he said. When Supreme Court Judge Carol Lawrence Beswick intervened and asked Lorne if he were not going to respond to Taylor's objection. Lorne replied "I dont regard them (jury) as stupid perhaps stupid is a strong word".

conspiring to murder

The two accused are charged jointly with conspiring to murder inspector Lorraine Ellison between January and February 2005. Taylor and crown counsel Annette Austin led evidence at the trial in the Home Circuit Court that the policewoman had charged Morgan Carr in 2004 with possession of cocaine and attempting to export cocaine. It is being alleged that Morgan Carr plotted with some men to murder the policewoman because she said that was the only way she could be freed of the charges.

The main crown witness said Morgan Carr told her about the plot and asked her to go to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on February 25, 2005 to point out the policewoman to Smith. The witness reported the plot to the police and Morgan Carr, Smith and two other men were held on February 25 shortly after they left the vicinity of the courthouse.

Lorne in his address to the jurors asked them to examine the passport which Smith tendered in evidence to show that in January he went to Barbados, overstayed and Morgan Carr had asked the main crown witness to get another passport for Smith.

Taylor in addressing the jury reminded them that the police said when they accosted the accused and other men on February 25, 2005, Morgan Carr said they were not plotting to murder the policewoman, they only wanted to beat her up. He called on the jury to accept the prosecution's case.