Judge Defends Lawyer Transparency | Trinidad and Tobago News

A police officer facing murder charges is suing the government over what he claims is an unlawful attempt to secure a harsher sentence — but the Attorney General’s office tried to hide their lawyers’ identities in court, arguing anonymity was needed for serious crimes. That move was swiftly rejected by High Court Judge Vigel Paul, who ruled that lawyers shouldn’t be shielded from public view — transparency and accountability are essential, and anonymity isn’t standard practice unless protecting witnesses or the justice system itself. The judge also criticized the lack of formal process behind the request and stressed that each case must stand on its own merits. The officer, Jason Beetam, was arrested during a state of emergency and now challenges being charged under the more severe Firearms Act instead of the emergency regulations under which he was initially detained. His legal team says this is a punitive maneuver, and the AG’s office hasn’t yet said whether they’ll appeal or formally apply for anonymity. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ad23b426e79eebcd