Richard and Julia Lyn

ONE year and seven months after they were taken into custody for the murder of well-known Mandeville couple Richard and Julia Lyn, Calvin Powell and Lennox Swaby are still yet to face trial - a fact that has left members of the business community in Mandeville questioning the justice system.

President of the Mandeville Chamber of Commerce, Winston Lawson, told the Observer that the delay in the trial reflected the urgent need for reform of the justice system.

"The whole court system is a mess, that's a well-known fact, so it's not surprising that it has fallen to this case. It shows that we need to move with a little more alacrity in getting things done," Lawson said.

In spite of the delays, however, Lawson expressed optimism that at the end of the day, justice will be served.

"It was really a horrific incident when it took place, it is unfortunate. But I like to look at the bright side of things. I am very confident that justice will be served," he said.

Typically blamed for being at the root of delays in trials, the prosecution - which is being led by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Lisa Palmer - said it has been ready for trial since 2006 when Swaby and Powell were arrested. However, there have been difficulties in securing legal representation for the two accused men and this, Palmer said, had accounted for the delay.

"We have been ready. The defence has not been able to settle on legal representation. The problem is Swaby, he has changed attorneys three times in the matter, and until that is settled we cannot proceed," Palmer told the Observer.
Powell, she noted, had always had the services of an attorney.

"We have had at least three case management conferences in the matter. And because they have changed representation again we are going to have to print new copies of the statements to serve upon the attorneys, which is wasting resources," she said.
Palmer also speculated that the year could end without the matter being tried.

In the last hearing of the matter in the Supreme Court on June 27, the matter was adjourned until July 31 for the defence attorneys on the court records to be served with the case file. Attorney-at-law Norman Manley was listed as representing Powell, while Ravil Golding was listed as representing Swaby.

Swaby has already been sentenced to two years for receiving stolen goods while he and Powell are also facing murder, robbery and burglary charges.

Police alleged that Powell and Swaby broke into the Lyns' home and killed them before robbing their home and dumping their bodies in a barrel at the landfill. They also alleged that they recovered several items that were taken from the home at Swaby's residence.

According to the police, both Swaby and Powell were part of a major robbery ring which preyed on homes in affluent Mandeville neighbourhoods.

Swaby was out on bail for the 2004 murder of a 14-year-old girl whose body was found in a water tank in the parish. He was also charged with the carnal abuse of the child.

The Lyns went missing from their home on December 10, 2006. Their remains were found three weeks later at a dump in Martin Hill in Manchester.

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