The man accused of murdering four people in La Brea almost two weeks ago was taunted by the relatives of the victims as he appeared in court yesterday charged for the crime which prompted a public outcry over frequency of domestic violence murders.
“Leh we see you face, nah boy,” a relative of the one of the victim’s shouted from the public gallery in the Point Fortin First Magistrates Court as Rodger Mattison was being led from the courtroom after he appeared before the magistrate.
Two police officers, stationed in the court, ordered “silence in the court.” Mattison ignored the relative.
Mattison, 39, a labourer, of Salick Trace, Guapo, kept his head bent as he walked down the steps directly in front of the public gallery.
Mattison appeared before Senior Magistrate Rajendra Rambachan charged with the four murders.
The charges alleged that on a date between March 11 and March 14 at Khani Settlement, Sobo Village, La Brea he murdered Olivia Chapman, 16, her mother Abigail Jones-Chapman, 41, her friend Michaela Mason, 14, and retired teacher Michael Scott, 70.
Their bodies were discovered in the downstairs apartment of Scott’s house on March 13.
Scott was beaten to death while the throats of the other victims were slit. Jones-Chapman, a school teacher and her three children lived downstairs Scott’s house. Jones-Chapman had allegedly broken off her relationship with Mattison and days prior to their murders had filed a domestic violence report against Mattison at the La Brea Police Station.
Three police officers have been suspended pending an investigation into an allegation that they failed to respond effectively.
Police had launched a manhunt for Mattison, who was eventually arrested in Valencia on March 18, walking along a deserted road near St Albans Quarry. Following investigations supervised by ASP Lucia Winchester and Insp Darryl Corrie, instructions were received by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Joan Honore-Paul to charge him.
Sgt Hemraj Sirju of the Homicide Bureau Region 3 laid the charges.
When he appeared before Magistrate Rambachan he kept his head slightly bent and did not say anything.
Prosecutor Sgt Jesse Jitmansingh told the magistrate that no State attorney has been appointed as yet and an interim file was sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In answer to questions asked by Mattison’s attorney Fareed Ali, Sirju said he could not say when the interim file was submitted, but he anticipated that the actual file will be completed in about a month.
The magistrate said once a State attorney is appointed they will know whether the State will be proceeding with the inquiry via paper committal or by calling witnesses to testify.
Rambachan told Mattison he cannot get bail on those charges and adjourned the matter to April 23.
Jones-Chapman’s mother, Christine Jones, were among the relatives present in court.