Conspiracy charges added in Beachy Stout trial after judge backtracks
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Judge Chester Stamp has backtracked after refusing an amendment to the indictment in the murder trial of businessman Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ McDonald and co-accused Oscar Barnes.
The indictment has now been amended to add two counts of conspiracy – reflecting that McDonald allegedly conspired with Denvalyn “Bubbla” Minott to kill his wife, Tonia McDonald in 2020; and that Minott then allegedly conspired with Barnes to carry out the murder.
The indictment says the conspiracy took place on a date unknown between January 1, 2020 and July 20, 2020.
Earlier this month, Stamp rejected the prosecutors’ proposal for the amendment, agreeing with defence lawyers that amending it could be prejudicial to the accused.
– Jason Cross