Death Row escapee appears in court

 Death Row inmate Darryl Charles Bissoon, who escaped from jail 10 days ago, has appeared in court charged with escaping legal custody. Bissoon, 26 of First Street, San Juan, was charged that between December 23 and December 24, 2012, he, being a prisoner detained at the Port-of-Spain State Prison and sentenced to murder, escaped.

Bissoon was one of two men convicted in 2011 for the murder of 24-year-old construction worker Collin Delandro in 2005, at Quarry Road, San Juan. He was unrepresented in court yesterday. He said he planned to retain a lawyer in time for his next appearance on January 30

The T&T Guardian learned prison officials have increased security in the wing where Bissoon would be kept. Minutes earlier, the security guard charged with harbouring Bissoon during his nine short-lived days of freedom, also appeared in court.

Khriston Ashby, 27 of Francis Street, Saddle Road, San Juan, was charged that on December 29, 2012, at Francis Street, knowing Bissoon was guilty of escaping legal custody from prison, did commit an act to impede the apprehension of Bissoon by providing housing and other amenities to Bissoon.

He was remanded in custody to reappear in court tomorrow. Ashby begged the magistrate to understand that he had not chosen to harbor Bissoon and instead had been threatened and family would have been killed. Police officers, led by ASP Ajith Persad, received instructions to charge the men yesterday morning from the Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard.