Bounty Killer received $200,000 bail

Rodney Price, popularly known as Bounty Killer, was yesterday offered bail when he appeared in court for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.

Bounty received $200,000 bail in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.

Attorney-at-law Carlton Williams, who instructed the complainant, told the court that his client wanted to seek mediation as an alternative to the trial.

Resident Magistrate Georg-ianna Fraser, however indicated that it was not practical for the court to grant this request since the accused man had not pleaded guilty to the charge of assault occasioning bodily harm.

withdraw the charges

Williams however went on to refer to an article written by Chief Justice Kenneth Smith indicating that it was futile to continue a case when the complainant had a desire to withdraw the charges.

This led RM Fraser to observe that based on her experience with Price, in relation to two other matters of a similar nature, the complainants had always discontinued the matters.

The RM further indicated that in Bounty’s last court matter she told him she would not allow the complainant to dispose of the matter. She then said that she would transfer the matter to another court and granted mediation request.

RM Fraser also said that the complainant should be charged for creating public mischief. This caused a frenzy within the court room among the police and lawyers representing both the accused and complainant.

Williams became upset about this statement and pointed out that the police was about to put his client in handcuffs for a charge that had nothing to do with the proceedings of the court. The lawyer’s uproar, however, caused the judge to indicate that if he did not reduce his tone, he could be charged for contempt of the court. A defiant Williams told the RM that he was “prepared to go into custody” for defending his client.

There was also some confusion among members of the police who later argued at the lock-up about the fate of the complainant. The confusion was later resolved by the clerk of court, resulting in the release of the complainant.

Both accused and complainant were told to return to court on June 29 when it would be decided if the matter should be dismissed, based on the mediation, or be set for trial.

Price, 38, an entertainer of a Constant Spring address, appeared in court after he was accused of slapping the complainant several times in the face causing swelling.

According to the allegations, Price and the complainant, who shared a three-year relationship saw each other at a nightclub. The allegations indicated that the complainant told Price that she wanted to end their relationship which resulted in an argument.

It is alleged that the accused man dragged the complainant into his vehicle, took her to his house and questioned her about the termination of their relationship. The allegations further indicated that he slapped her across the face several times causing her to fall in his bed.

While in his bed, it is alleged that the accused used his knees to pin her down in the bed and slapped her across the face again, then sat in her stomach.

According to the allegations, the incident was reported on March 30, four days after the incident and Price was arrested and charged on April 5.

Deejay gets crowd support

Family, friends and fans of Rodney Price, popularly known as Bounty Killer, showed their support to the Alliance leader outside the Corporate Area Resident Magis-trate’s Court yesterday.

The gathering, who were seen drinking and talking while spreading the news about Price’s release, were in good spirits after he was offered bail.

Mark ‘Bawly Bawly’ Price, Bounty’s older brother told THE STAR that he has been under stress for the past two weeks as a result of his brother’s arrest.

“Si wey mi have inna mi hand a drink? A two weeks a stress mi a go tru … Mi feel good sey dem release him,” said Price.

Alliance member Marlon Plunkett, better known as Kiprich, was also glad to hear about his mentor’s bail. “Mi glad man, him shoulda come out the same day him go in. Wi nuh want him inna dah place deh,” he said.

Another man who was a part of the gathering indicated that they would be celebrating Price’s release in the style of a party.

Source: JamaicaStar