Claiming the Crown abused the process of justice and rushed to file an indictment, lawyers for two men earned a special hearing in the Supreme Court on Friday.revented their clients from pleading during the monthly arraignment session of Supreme Court yesterday.

Sandys Parish resident Kirk Orlando Roberts, 40, and co-accused, St. Vincent and the Grenadines national Alphonso Cyril Holder, 37, did not enter a plea yesterday to drug offences in their first appearance in the monthly Arraignments session.

The men face possession, importation, possession with intent to supply and possession of drug equipment charges.

Instead, lawyers for the accused, Mark Pettingill and Patrick Doherty, said there was an abuse of process against their clients and applied to Chief Justice Austin Ward to quash the indictment. Although Mr. Justice Ward pointed out that traditionally arguments should occur once a plea has been made by a defendant, he set the matter to be heard on March 8.

The two men are charged with conspiring with others to import more than $100,000 cannabis into the Island on or between an unknown date and December 19, 2000. Meanwhile the monthly Supreme Court arraignment session also saw several serious assault cases appear before the Chief Justice yesterday.

Jamaican national, Neville Anthony Townsend, 39, pleaded not guilty to importation, possession and intent to supply cocaine on December 18, 2002.

Chief Justice Austin Ward set the matter for the next arraignment date on April 1.

Quincy Stanley Brangman 22, and Everett Jahnai Bean, 19, accused of murdering 21-year-old Tekle Mallory outside of the Ice Queen Restaurant on July 16, 2001, have a fixed date for trial on July 17, 2002.

Brangman, is from Cook's Hill, Sandys Parish and Bean, is from Jones' Village, Warwick.

Also appearing before Mr. Justice Ward, were Alvin Jamel Terricho Hassell, 22, Colsey Osworth Gift, 45, and Shawn Albert Smith, 26, on charges of conspiracy to commit a robbery, aggravated robbery and unlawful wounding on April 11, 2001.m It is alleged that the trio robbed the Flatts Gas Station of more than $3,000. Gift, of Parsons Road, Pembroke and Smith, of St. Augustine Road, Pembroke, pleaded not guilty to the charges and will appear again on April 1.

Meanwhile, Hassell of Middle Terrace, Pembroke, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, but pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and unlawful wounding. He was also additionally charged with possession of an offensive weapon, to which he pleaded not guilty.

And a 26-year-old Southampton man, pleaded not guilty to burglary and sexual assault on August 17, 2001. He will appear in the next arraignment session on April 1.