Man stabbed to death with scissors

A St James man who reportedly used a pair of scissors to stab another man to death during a quarrel, will have to wait until August 30 to know whether he will be granted bail by the St James Parish Court.

Delmar Elson, 34, who is charged with the March 17 murder of 29-year-old Romain Legister, was remanded when he appeared before presiding Judge Sasha-Marie Ashley on Monday.

Allegations are that Elson and Legister got into an argument along Bevin Avenue in Montego Bay, which escalated into a fight.

During the brawl, Elson reportedly used a pair of scissors to stab Legister in the chest. Legister was subsequently assisted to the Cornwall Regional Hospital, where he died while undergoing treatment.

During Monday's court proceedings, the prosecution opposed bail for Elson, as the incident with Legister reportedly happened while Elson was on a suspended sentence in another matter.

But Elson's attorney, Jermain Campbell, told Judge Ashley that his client had acted in self-defence, and that the file, which is missing the post-mortem report and a justice of the peace's statement, should have been completed when the matter first came to court in May.

"We cannot say, because we have been before the court before, and we have a suspended sentence hanging over our head that we should not defend ourselves. He was injured and taken to the hospital by the police, and we have asked the officer to get that medical report," Campbell said, concerning his client.

"Mr Elson was in custody from March of this year, and this matter only came before the court two months after. The officer would have had two months before the matter even came to court to prepare the justice of the peace's statement, but when the file came only the caution statement came," Campbell added.

"Mr Campbell, allow me to make a decision on the issue of bail after I have had the opportunity to look at the file. The decision is deferred," Judge Ashley replied, before remanding Elson.