gun court branch jamaican judicial system tries criminal cases involving firearms court established parliament combat rising gun violence empowered try suspects camera jury courts function hear firearms cases western regional gun court bay convicted imprisoned dedicated prison compound kingston sessions held facility long sentences restrictions rights accused given rise constitutional challenges appealed london cases resulted modifications court upheld system target criticism lengthy delay hearing cases continuing rise gun violence adoption background early 1970s jamaica experienced rise violence associated criminal gangs political supporters killings lawyers businessmen government attempted restore order granting broad new law enforcement powers gun court act suppression crime act allowed police military work novel way people soldiers sealed entire policemen systematically searched houses inside weapons requiring warrant goal improve enforcement firearms act imposed licensing requirements ownership possession guns ammunition prohibited automatic weapons entirely jamaica require background check inspection payment yearly fee legal gun ownership difficult ordinary citizens new judicial procedures gun court act designed ensure firearms violations tried quickly harshly punished prime minister expressed determination stronger action firearms predicting long war country win war crime overnight shall win time finished jamaican gunmen sorry heard thing called gun order win war believed necessary fully public place society gun history establishment gun court act passed special simultaneous sessions senate house_of_representatives immediately signed law governor general april new court extraordinary features trials conducted camera jury closed public press order avoid problems intimidation witnesses provision bail pre trial appeal defendants considered dangerous offences carried single mandatory sentence indefinite imprisonment hard labour convicted released special decision governor general advised appointed review board legal challenges amendments unusual features faced legal challenges forced amendment gun court act case queen early test case new court men moses arrested convicted possession firearms ammunition licence appealed sentences jamaica highest court initially declined hear case allowed apply london agreed review legality system reserves certain crimes jurisdiction supreme_court divisions gun court act established court division resident presiding try major firearms offences held provision act jurisdiction reserved supreme_court court division unconstitutional fault replacing court division new high_court division presided single supreme_court justice found institution appointed review board determine length sentences contrary doctrine separation powers fundamental westminster system government according principle sentencing particular case function judiciary assigned body amendment eliminated review board entirely leaving life imprisonment review possible sentence case queen challenged denial jury trial gun offences argued trial jury fundamental constitutional right guaranteed tradition english common law rejected argument decision written court president court noted written constitution adopted jamaica independence guaranteed certain rights criminal defendants omitted trial jury case confirmed power try non capital cases judges case director public concerning right trial reached defendant held awaiting trial years state ultimately failed present evidence witnesses arrested firearms charges filed suit arguing violated constitutional rights delay agreed ruling prevailing local standards taken account bell trial excessively delayed fault gun court amendment act allowed grant pre trial bail decide firearms cases resident magistrate court send high court division judges given power set sentences life imprisonment cases involving defendants years old directed juvenile courts instead heard ordinary young serving indefinite sentences released structure divisions divisions division divisions differ jurisdictions procedures charged violation possession use gun commission crime case sent cases tried camera justice jury exceptions charges murder treason capital offences require jury trial charges murder treason firearms given preliminary investigation single resident magistrate camera sent supreme_court justice jury trial exercising jurisdiction differs divisions practicing jury trial gun court act originally instituted cases heard panel replaced struck case judges lower levels judiciary empowered constitution try offences western regional gun court parliament established western regional gun court high_court divisions parallel jurisdictions powers central divisions cases arising western parishes heard sits court facilities court regional court success avoiding chronic affect central gun court compound establishment new court administration quickly build new compound kingston court prison facilities defended guard towers barbed wire earning nickname jamaica walls painted bright red held inmates housed high_court divisions converted peace centre dedicated pursuing community disputes high_court division sits supreme_court building resident magistrate division sits half way tree courthouse prison remains operation housing inmates convicted criticism faced criticism fronts notably departure traditional practices large cases continuing gun violence institution time amendments act protested lack jury trials harsh mandatory sentences according report objected possibility children young imprisoned life release appeal small offences found ammunition jury trial criticized attorney law professor son justice wrote decision stone case practice argues common law right jury trial implied constitutional provision fair hearing reasonable time independent court established law concluding constitution potent ancient safeguard trial jury county report human rights practices jamaica state noted denial fair public trial alleged trials observe rigorous rules evidence regular court proceedings jamaican justice system reform task force preliminary recommendations noted defendants represented crown attorneys inexperienced report recommended trials longer held camera cases moved ordinary relieve issue non jury trials suggesting practice types cases greater efficiency intended cases bringing defendants trial seven days defendants wait years nearing cases court year high_court division carried forward cases added new cases concluded senior resident magistrate expressed dissatisfaction public prosecutors taking long prepare cases difficulty finding bringing witnesses brown noted seventy cent persons courts long period time years system forth gun ownership advocates example failed regime gun control essay argued gun court took guns hands jamaica law leaving mercy criminals state argued gun control laws failed deliver promised noting murder rate jamaica lower introduction gun control rose reached rate risen murders calendar year inhabitants gun court music jamaican musicians sung including dance hall artist single release gun court law reggae musician released album cure tower street prison having convicted continued deny charges illegal firearms rape robbery attracted widespread support release including free cure campaigns petition drives release french singer sings song stand released says french pour gun court gun pocket stuck
Gun Court