Taxi man freed of murder charge relative to senior’s mob killing

A taxi operator who was charged in connection with the mob killing of a beloved Manchester resident was last week freed of murder relative to the incident.

Orlando Powell appeared in the Manchester Parish Court to learn whether there was enough evidence for him to stand trial in the Circuit Court for the murder of 61-year-old Chieftain Campbell.

Following submissions by the prosecution and the defense, Parish Judge Monique Harrison ruled that a prima facie case had not been made against the defendant and, as such, the matter would not be committed to the High Court.

In criminal law, the term prima facie is used to denote that upon initial examination, a legal claim has sufficient evidence to proceed to trial.

Consequently, after the ruling by the judge, Powell was freed from the murder charge.

However, the case file has been sent to the Coroner’s Court, where an inquest will be held, commencing on February 2, 2023.

During those proceedings, a coroner and/or jury will sit to establish the type of death that was involved in the case, such as a natural death or murder. 

If any culpability is shown to have contributed to the individual’s death, a criminal prosecution can arise from the conclusion of the inquest.

It was alleged that on May 6, Campbell was beaten by a group of persons, including Powell, who had mistaken the senior citizen for a thief in Mandeville.

Campbell, a resident of Victoria Town in Manchester, was transported to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

The police launched a probe and it was determined that Campbell was, in fact, not a thief, but a well-respected member of the Victoria Town community.