Hon. McKeeva Bush

Today, Thursday (29) Justice Stanley John, a Judge from the UK, brought in especially to take charge of the trial of ex Speaker of the Cayman Islands Parliament, stopped the trial, and discharged the jury. He also released Bush from his bail conditions,.

The case against Bush was for indecent assault against two women. The defence lawyers accused the crown of an abuse of process

According to Cayman News Service, “Over the last few days, the prosecution and defence lawyers engaged in legal arguments on a number of issues relating to the disclosure process that involves the crown handing over pertinent material to the defence well ahead of a trial as well as the conditions under which the director of public prosecutions brought this case to court.”

The judge said he will issue a full and detailed ruling by the end of March. He also said the court was “concerned with the process, and I stress the process, by which the decision to prosecute was made.”

However, there is nothing to stop the prosecution to appeal this ruling and if they are successful Bush could be retried.

There is also a temporary gag order for the media to report the full details of the submissions made to the court by both the defence and the crown.

Bush made a short statement to the media after he left the Court saying, “The whole country understands what has taken place. This was a huge abuse of process and an abuse of this member of Parliament.” He also said he was willing to take the stand and give his side of the story at the trial, and refute the lies that had come out.