Kingstown – The Vincentian man who is on the most wanted list in the American state of Pennsylvania was granted bail when he appeared in court here on Monday.
Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne, sitting at the Serious Offences Court, granted Kern Z. Mayers bail in the sum of EC$40 000 (US$14 800) with one surety.
She further ordered him to surrender his travel documents and to report to the Questelles Police Station on Mondays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. until the outcome of his extradition hearing, set for April 4, 2021.
Browne also ordered that stop notices be placed at ports of entry and exit, preventing Mayers from leaving the jurisdiction.
According to the Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers website, Mayers, who also goes by the aliases “Yellow” and “Cuz”, is one of the ten most wanted people in the state.
The website says he is wanted for aggravated assault, fleeing or attempting to elude police officers, recklessly endangering another person, institutional vandalism, and accidents involving damage to attended vehicles, stemming from an incident on January 4, 2006, at the Home Depot and Burlington Coat Factory.
“Law enforcement attempted to initiate a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Kern Mayers. In an attempt to flee from the police, Kern Mayers struck several vehicles and injured police officers. After a vehicle and foot pursuit, Kern Mayers was captured. Kern Mayers was released from the Luzerne County Correctional Facility and then failed to attend his scheduled court hearing on January 25, 2006,” it stated.
His last known address was given as Brooklyn, New York.
Mayers, who currently resides in Campden Park, St Andrew, was taken into custody here on December 10, 2020.
He is said to have returned to St Vincent a few years ago and was working at a Kingstown business when he was arrested.
The chief magistrate granted him bail on Monday after hearing an objection from Senior Prosecutor Adolphus Delplesche who represented the Crown in the matter, and counter-arguments from Joseph Delves who, along with Grant Connell, represents Mayers.
In objecting, Delplesche told the court that the prosecution’s concern was that Mayers was on bail in another jurisdiction when he skipped that bail and came to St Vincent and the Grenadines.
He said that the prosecution was concerned that a similar thing could happen, even though he said conditions could be put in place to prevent such an occurrence.
However, he insisted: “We know that in these islands you walk from Union Island to Grenada.”
But attorney Delves insisted that conditions could be imposed to ensure that Mayers appears in court.
“Why is it that after 15 years the United States of America is seeking to extradite this gentleman?” Delves also asked.
The attorney argued that given that Mayers is Vincentian and in St Vincent, he obviously has ties to the country. He contended that Mayers would not skip bail in his home country and disappoint his relatives.
In handing down her ruling, Browne said the court had to consider when the US could be ready to deal with the matter, given its own issues currently.
In the circumstances, she said, she would grant Mayers bail. (CMC)
