Ziggy Beazer and Mary John are committed to stand trial in the High Court during the September Criminal Assizes

Ziggy Beazer, the man accused of beating a fellow detainee to death at the St. John’s Police Station, is expected to stand trial during the September Criminal Assizes.

Beazer’s committal proceedings took place on Thursday, May 19, in the St. John’s Magistrates Court before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh.

He made his first court appearance on Monday, January 3, after being charged for the unlawful killing of Leroy Caesar, aged 64, of Jennings.  

He and Caesar were detained in the same cell on December 30, 2021, when they reportedly got into an altercation.

It is alleged that Beazer repeatedly beat Caesar about the body, which subsequently resulted in his death. The incident occurred sometime about 9:20 p.m.

The older man was found lying unresponsive on the floor of the cell, and was transported to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.  He was pronounced dead by a medical doctor at about 10:38 p.m. that night.  

This is the second murder charge Beazer is facing in the last seven years.

He was on remand for several years for the first offence, but was released in July 2020, after being declared unfit to stand trial due to his mental condition.  

Beazer was diagnosed with schizophrenia several years ago; but, to date, the Court has not ordered a second evaluation.  This, however, might have to be done before a trial is embarked upon in the High Court.

And in related matters …

Mary John will face a judge and jury in the High Court come September, as her matter, too, was committed to the September Criminal Assizes on May 19.

The social and community activist is facing charges related to contravening the Electronic Crimes Act, an offence allegedly committed in October 2021.

John is accused of circulating false messages about a young woman via her social media page and with the use of an electronic system, in relation to the Jane Finch murder case.

Finch, 66, of Piccadilly, was found dead in her home.

John mis-identified the complainant as the person accused of the crime and posted her name and photograph.  The post made the rounds via social media platforms, although John had removed it from her Facebook page.

The woman later reported the matter to the Police, and investigations were launched, leading to John being arrested and charged.

The penalty for this offence is $500,000 or six years in prison, or both, if tried in the High Court.  It could have been tried in the Magistrates’ Court, but the prosecution opted to proceed indictably.