A federal judge has agreed to push back the trial for two remaining individuals charged in the 2022 robbery of the Rockland Trust on Martha’s Vineyard, as they look for a possible resolution before the court proceeds.
Attorneys representing Miquel Jones and Romane Clayton — both arrested for involvement in the robbery — requested that the trial be moved from its opening date, scheduled for April 1.
Judge William Young, earlier this week, agreed to push the jury trial back until Oct. 7.
Jones will be on trial on various charges relating to the November 2022 robbery, including conspiracy to commit an armed bank robbery. Clayton is facing a charge of accessory after the fact of an armed bank robbery and aiding and abetting.
Two others charged in the robbery, Tevin Porter and Omar Johnson, have already entered plea agreements, though neither has been sentenced in the case. Porter’s sentencing date is scheduled for April 24, and Johnson’s for April 27.
A final pretrial date for Jones and Clayton was scheduled for Tuesday, March 12. But a week earlier, the two petitioned the judge to extend the trial.
In a court filing, their attorneys requested the delay “in order to continue to review the discovery materials” and to prepare for trial.
Additionally, Jones’ attorney wrote in the filing that his client and the government have recently “engaged in specific discussions regarding a potential resolution in this case, and require further time to finalize any agreement.”
Meantime, Jones — who is facing more serious charges — will remain incarcerated; Clayton, according to the court filings, is presently on release under conditions.
Prosecutors say that Johnson, Porter, and Jones forced their way through the rear door of the Rockland Trust Bank in Tisbury. They were allegedly wearing dark-colored clothing and white masks when they robbed the bank in November of 2022. Prosecutors say that each of the individuals was allegedly carrying what appeared to be a semiautomatic handgun.
Prosecutors say that once inside the bank, one of the individuals allegedly forced a bank teller to open the bank’s vault before taking approximately $39,100.
Police say that Clayton was later captured in surveillance video arriving at the parking lot of a nearby ferry terminal, where he purchased ferry tickets and boarded a ferry. Approximately 30 minutes later, at 9:53 am, Johnson is allegedly seen arriving at the same parking lot and getting into the driver’s seat of the silver sedan Clayton had previously arrived in and parked, before boarding a ferry.
The charge of armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of being an accessory after the fact to armed bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 150 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000.
Trial? With that much evidence I don’t get it? What’s the defense, “I thought it was the Stop and Shop”?
Ever hear of the U.S. Constitution? The document, not the ship
Mark– there are many times the evidence is overwhelming,
but people hire lawyers and they twist things into all sorts
of knots.
Oj Simpson walked.
Would you suggest that we ignore the 6 th amendment
of the constitution because you think you know whether
someone is guilty or not ?
Or is the second amendment the only one that matters ?
It seems that in today’s political climate some are trying
to trample on all sorts of clauses and rules laid out in it,
as well as established laws.
You know who and what i’m talking about.
“We” all know he is guilty.
But like Trump he deserves his day(s) in court, we the twelve will decide, not MVT comments.