Lawyers for former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor have withdrawn their request for a preliminary examination and are now asking Criminal Court “C” to grant her bail, challenging the government’s reliance on a 2023 drug law to classify the charges against her as non-bailable.
The defense is asking the court to release Taylor on her personal recognizance or require her to post a bond guaranteeing her appearance whenever she is needed in court.
At the center of the bail application is a dispute over the use of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023, which the government relies on to argue that the charges are not eligible for bail.
Taylor’s lawyers argue that the alleged offenses occurred in 2021 and 2022, before the 2023 legislation was enacted. They are asking the court to consider whether the law can be applied to conduct alleged to have taken place before it came into force.
The defense also wants the court to determine whether the charges are legally non-bailable, arguing that the government’s position should not automatically prevent Taylor from seeking release.
Taylor faces several charges, including importation of controlled drugs, unlicensed exportation of controlled drugs and substances, unlawful sale and transportation of controlled substances, illicit trafficking, criminal conspiracy, criminal facilitation, criminal solicitation, money laundering and aiding the consummation of a crime.
The withdrawal of the preliminary examination request marks a change in the defense’s immediate legal approach, with the lawyers now concentrating on securing Taylor’s release while the criminal proceedings continue.
Taylor was previously granted compassionate home detention after her lawyers raised concerns about her medical condition. The court approved the request after considering the medical and humanitarian circumstances presented by the defense.
The latest motion seeks a formal bail arrangement, which would allow Taylor to remain outside detention while the case proceeds, subject to conditions set by the court.
The prosecution’s position on the non-bailable nature of the charges remains central to the dispute.
However, Taylor remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court, and the court has yet to determine the outcome of the latest bail application.
