Absence of witnesses causes postponement of London inquest
Stabroek News
June 10, 2003
The absence of three witnesses yesterday resulted in the postponement of the Coroner’s inquest into the deaths of Linden London and Rhonda Forde.
Yesterday, Senior Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle, who is presiding as the Coroner, informed the jury which is hearing the inquest of the witnesses’ absence and adjourned the hearing until June 23.
Two police witnesses and psychiatrist Dr. Frank Beckles were to have attended the hearing. The magistrate however told the five-member jury that Beckles had given the court notice of his absence, owing to the illness of his brother. Police Prosecutor, Sergeant Robert Tyndall, told the court that he had given notice to a senior officer in an effort to contact the two police witnesses, but was told that the notification wasn’t given early enough.
London was fatally shot on February 9, 2000 following an 11-hour armed confrontation with members of the joint services at Toucan Suites Guest House at Eccles, East Bank Demerara. He had been wanted by police for the September 1999 America Street and January 2000 NIS robberies.
There are conflicting reports about the death of Forde, who was with London at the time of her death. It had been said she might have been accidentally shot by the police during the confrontation while some observers have also speculated that London himself may have shot her.
She was discovered lying in the compound of the Guest House with seven gunshot wounds.
