By JIMENITA SWAIN

Guardian Senior Reporter

jimenita@nasguard.com

Murder accused Cordell Farrington is expected to learn today whether five cases pending against him will be tried together or separately.

Farrington, 38, is accused of causing the death of Jamaal Kareem Robins, 22, between July and August 2002. He is also accused of killing Grand Bahama school boys Mackinson Colas, 12; Junior Reme, 11; DeAngelo McKenzie 13; and Desmond Rolle, 14. The boys, who became known as the Grand Bahama "missing boys," disappeared between May and September 2003.

A decision was expected to be handed down by Acting Chief Justice Anita Allen last Friday, but the matter was adjourned to Monday at 10 a.m.

Last week, Farrington's lawyer Ramona Farquharson notified the court by way of a letter that she would be unable to attend the proceedings due to a death in her family.

Farquharson requested a second adjournment yesterday to put forth her oral submissions made last Monday in writing.

The prosecution has already submitted its written submissions to the court. Prosecuting from the Attorney General's office was acting director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl Grant-Bethel assisted by Stephanie Pintard and Sheri Deveaux.

Prosecutors have made it clear that they want to have the matters tried separately, with the adult case tried first and the other four tried together. Grant-Bethel argued that since Robins' murder was the first to have been committed, according to the allegations, that case should be tried first and the other four should follow.

Farquharson argued that all of the cases should be tried together, as the information in each case "mirrors" the others.

She stressed that Robins' murder was the first in a series of homicides that were connected.

There was no objection by the Crown to the request for the adjournment. The decision is expected at 2 p.m. today.

Farrington has been on remand at Her Majesty's Prison since October 2003.