U.S. has nothing on Roger Khan

•  defence counsel

What was touted as a drug ledger against Shaheed ‘Roger' Khan has turned out to be nothing more than a series of loose pieces of paper, defence attorney Robert Simels said yesterday.

Shaheed ‘Roger' Khan - Stabroek News

Khan made a court appearance yesterday for another pre-trial hearing, and in response to requests for all the trial documents, the prosecution announced that it had given the defence all the records it intends to tender in the trial.

Mr. Simels said that the documents include tape recordings which, if anything, would implicate others and not his client. He described the situation as encouraging, since by its admission, the prosecution has ruled out a host of potential witnesses.

He said that, initially, the prosecution was seeking to build a case on people who could not be considered credible witnesses, many of whom would have testified in court during earlier trials that they did not know Khan.

Mr. Simels said that he is now in a position to file his legal attack by mid-June, paving the way for trial by August. He added that yesterday was a good day for the defence.

Khan would, however, have to remain in jail until May 21, when he is scheduled to make another court appearance. The High Court denied him bail following applications by his legal counsel.

Mr. Simels said that the High Court referred to the 1992 case involving Khan, who was charged for a gun crime in Vermont .

The court noted that Khan was granted bail but he skipped the jurisdiction and fled to Guyana , never to return, until his apprehension by the US authorities in Trinidad and his subsequent transfer to the United States .

Mr. Simels said that, given that experience, the court declared that it was not prepared to release him on bail on this occasion.

•  Khan is indicted on 18 charges of conspiring to and of importing cocaine into the United States .