Who is Gomez?
[edit] Coroner removed from case The Bahama Journal revealed on the 20th that Bahamas Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall had issued a Supreme Court Memorandum, stripping Magistrate Linda Virgill of the exclusive designation of coroner and abolished the special 'Coroner’s Court'. "In the extraordinary cases in which it is necessary to hold an inquest, the facilities now available to accommodate a jury will be accessible to any magistrate" The chief justice did not provide a reason for his decision. :
Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez confirmed that Mrs. Virgill would not preside over an inquest into Daniel Smith’s death on the 20th. According to Gomez, it was not a vote of "no confidence" in Mrs. Virgill’s abilities, she will still be a magistrate, and still be able to hear inquests but "Because of the remarks she made, She won’t be hearing that one" :
The memo provided that the office of the Chief Magistrate will receive all reports of completed investigations by the police into those deaths with which the Coroner’s Act is concerned, and the Chief Magistrate will assign particular matters to any magistrate. Chief Magistrate Gomez said that an inquest might not be needed in the Daniel Smith case. Once the awaited toxicological reports come in, they would be forwarded to the police and the Office of the Attorney General. If the Attorney General feels an inquest is called for, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson would send the file to his office to assign. [12]