MONROVIA – Criminal Court “A” Resident Circuit Judge Roosevelt Z. Willie has dismissed the defense’s petition to overturn the ruling of Monrovia City Court Stipendiary Magistrate Ben L. Barco in the high-profile Capitol Building arson case involving defendant Thomas Etheridge.
The defense team had filed a summary proceeding before Judge Willie, seeking to reverse Magistrate Barco’s decision on their motion to suppress evidence and return personal property. Etheridge and his co-defendants are facing multiple criminal charges, including arson, criminal mischief, conspiracy, and attempted murder, all related to the fire incident at the Capitol Building.
The defense argued that evidence obtained from Etheridge’s phone was unlawfully collected, claiming that the search and seizure warrant was issued 23 days after his arrest. They further alleged that their client was not represented by legal counsel during the investigation, which they said violated his rights. However, the prosecution, led by Cllr. Richard J. Scott, Sr., countered these claims, stating that Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi had been legally appointed as defense counsel and had signed documents confirming his representation of the defendants.
Judge Willie, after reviewing the case, ruled that the defense had failed to challenge the evidence during the preliminary examination and only raised objections during final arguments. He upheld Magistrate Barco’s ruling, affirming that the evidence would remain admissible in court.
Following this decision, the defense team has petitioned Supreme Court Justice in Chambers Yamie Quiqui Gberisay for a writ of certiorari, arguing that the lower court’s ruling was biased and legally unfounded. They contend that the National Security Agency (NSA) exceeded its authority by accessing Etheridge’s phone and participating in the investigation.
Justice Gberisay has placed a stay order on the proceedings and scheduled a conference for Tuesday, February 18, 2025, at 10:00 AM.
