George Bacchus murder
Handyman charged with murder
Debra ‘Debbie’ Douglas, Delon Reynolds answer murder charges
… third accused remains at large
Kaieteur News
July 3, 2004
Flanked by detectives, curious onlookers and cameramen, alleged ‘trigger man’, Delon “Fat Boy” Reynolds, and businesswoman Debra Douglas, called ‘Debbie’, appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to answer charges related to the murder of self-proclaimed ‘death squad’ informant, George Bacchus.
The state is alleging that Reynolds, a handyman, murdered Bacchus at the informant’s Princes Street home on June 24, last at about 02:40 hrs. Police have alleged that the accused confessed to the killing.
The state also alleged that Debra Douglas, the reputed wife of A&D Funeral Home owner, Ashton King--- currently on remand for the murder of Bacchus’s brother, Shafeek--- and her nephew, Fabian Jessop, planned, counselled and commanded Reynolds to murder Bacchus.
They were charged with procuring, counselling and commanding to commit murder.
However, prosecutors said that police have been unable to locate Jessop. This led Chief Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen to issue an arrest warrant for him.
Yesterday afternoon, Police Crime Chief Henry Green told Kaieteur News that repeated efforts to locate Fabian Jessop were unsuccessful. “We are hoping that he would come in to talk with us,” Green said.
The state alleges that Douglas and Jessop conspired with Reynolds sometime between June 22 and 24 to kill Bacchus.
Apart from biting her lips occasionally, Debra Douglas, along with the other accused remained calm as the charges were read.
Prosecutor Inspector Gordon Peters requested one month to facilitate the completion of investigations before the commencement of the Preliminary Inquiry.
However, Attorney-at-Law Vic Puran, who represented Douglas, objected to the one-month adjournment. He stated that for charges to be filed, the investigations must have been completed.
“This shows that the police have charged my client prematurely. I cannot see how the prosecution can ask for adjournment for investigations to be completed when they have already charged my client. In addition, the evidence against my client is a ‘so say’ of another man.” Word that the accused were to appear in court had somehow spread throughout the city. A large crowd gathered outside the court to get a glimpse of the suspects in Bacchus’s sensational murder. Some onlookers hurled disparaging remarks at the accused.
Security measures were tight at the court yesterday, as only persons with ongoing cases were allowed in the compound. Even reporters were not allowed to take their cameras in the court compound. Some, who tried to take pictures of the accused from inside the compound, were ejected.
He also added that Derrick Prince, Bacchus’s nephew, remains in police custody for further questioning.
“His 72 hours are up but we got permission from the High Court to keep him for one more day…He has not been charged but he has offered information that puts a new dimension to the case.
“Jean Bacchus (the victim’s sister-in-law) was released since yesterday (Thursday).”
Bacchus, 50, was shot dead as he slept in a room on the second flat of his brother’s Lot 76, Princes Street Lodge home.
According to an autopsy, he was shot in the head, below the left armpit, right leg and right shoulder.
Bacchus, who was laid to rest on Thursday, came to prominence last January, when he alleged that persons linked to a death squad had murdered his brother.
He fingered several people, including Minister of Home Affairs Ronald Gajraj, as being key players of the squad.
He claimed that this squad was responsible for the execution of several people.