A brand new trial date of January 31, 2025, has been set for Rushawn Patterson, who faces prices in reference to the October 2022 homicide of social media influencer Aneika ‘Slickianna’ Townsend.
The choice was made throughout Patterson’s look on the St. James Circuit Courtroom on Thursday.
The court docket heard that whereas the postmortem report is now out there, an important DNA report stays excellent. In gentle of this, the Crown requested the January date, which was granted by Supreme Courtroom Decide Bertram Morrison. Patterson’s bail was additionally prolonged throughout the proceedings.
Representing Patterson in court docket was Senator Charles Sinclair, standing in for his lawyer Dionne Mayler Barrett, who was absent. The case had beforehand been delayed on October 18 when all scheduled instances had been unexpectedly introduced ahead a day earlier, setting the stage for Thursday’s listening to.
Delays within the case have largely been attributed to the pending postmortem and DNA experiences, which had beforehand brought on an adjournment on September 23. As soon as all excellent experiences are submitted, a trial date is anticipated to be finalized.
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The case revolves across the demise of Townsend, whose physique was discovered within the sea at Studying, St. James, on October 21, 2022. In line with police experiences, Townsend traveled from Kingston to Montego Bay on October 20, the place she was picked up by Patterson. The 2 reportedly visited a restaurant in Hanover and a visitor home in St. James that night. An argument allegedly broke out between them, resulting in Patterson being accused of strangling Townsend and disposing of her physique.
Patterson was named an individual of curiosity the day after the physique was found and was captured by authorities on November 2, 2022, at a visitor home in Hanover after failing to satisfy deadlines to show himself in.
