Monrovia – On Wednesday, September 13, 2023, what appeared to be a further dishonor to former Chief Justice Gloria Musu-Scott took place when Judge Roosevelt Willie of Criminal Court “A” openly removed the former Chief Justice from her seat in the Bar among her colleagues (lawyers) and ordered her to sit on the prisoner’s bench with her family members. They are jointly facing trial for murder and other offenses.
By Victoria G. Wesseh, Contributing Writer
Throughout the trial, which has lasted for more than two months, Cllr. Scott had been sitting among lawyers, primarily from the defense team. Some of her colleagues included former Associate Justice Kibaneh Ja’net, Atty. Williams, President of the Female Lawyer Association, Cllr. Madina Wesseh, and Cllr. Jonathan Massaquoi, among others.
Cllr. Scott, during her time at the Bar with her fellow lawyers, could be seen comfortably seated, writing on papers, and even whispering in their ears. At some point, she even argued in open court as a lawyer during a pre-trial motion to admit her to bail.
This situation caught the attention of state prosecutors, who immediately filed an application with the court seeking the removal of defendant Scott from the Bar, where both the prosecution and the defense team were seated to argue the case.
State prosecutors cited Article 21 (i) of the 1986 Constitution and Rule 4 of the Code of Professional Ethics in their argument before the court. They asserted that defendant Scott should not be allowed to enjoy immunity by sitting in the Lawyers’ Bar as an accused in a case that carries the highest penalty.
The State argued that there is no law that grants such a person charged with a crime, when brought to court from Monrovia Central Prison, the dispensation to sit in the Lawyers’ Bar. They added that allowing Cllr. Scott to sit in the Bar among lawyers is tantamount to granting her the privilege and permission to cross-examine prosecution’s witnesses when she herself needs to be cross-examined.
The State further added, “People come to court to observe the case and wonder why the defendant (Scott) is not sitting on the prisoner’s bench among the other defendants but instead sitting among lawyers.”
According to the State, Cllr. Scott is adequately represented by lawyers, and the court must address the issue of whether she is coming to court as a lawyer or a defendant.
In counter-argument, the defense lawyers contended that under the law, practice, and procedures, there is no law or Rule of Court that stops the defendant from providing a defense for herself.
However, on Wednesday, Judge Willie ruled that Cllr. Scott cannot have a lawyer representing her and must sit on the layering bench to represent herself. All she can do is sit in the docket as a criminal defendant, and if she has any contributions, she can make them through her lawyers.
Judge Willie concluded, “Under such conditions, Cllr. Scott is hereby disallowed from sitting in the Bar as a lawyer, and this order is hereby issued.”
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