The June criminal sessions of Demerara Assizes opened yesterday morning with Justice James Bovell-Drakes, one of the judges hearing the matters this session, taking the salute and inspecting the Guard of Honour at the ceremonial opening. The ceremony was held on South Road, in front of the Supreme Court. Some 60 ranks from the Tactical Services Unit (TSU) formed the Guard of Honour.Sharing the dais were Justice William Ramlal,NFL Jerseys From China, who will also be hearing criminal matters this session, and a panel of other High Court Judges. Some 145 cases are billed for hearing during this criminal session of the court.Matters to be heard include 24 murder cases, 21 manslaughter, 15 rape matters,Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys, 17 carnal knowledge and ten causing death by dangerous driving.Justice Ramlal will be presiding over panel one which comprises of 73 cases while Justice Bovell-Drakes is presiding over the second panel of 72 cases. This is the third session of the year and it is expected to last three months.This newspaper understands that some 94 cases were billed for the April Session, some of which included persons who would have been committed to stand trial, since in some cases, more than 10 years ago.Some persons were committed in 1999, 1998, 1997,Cheap NFL Jerseys China, 1996, 1995, and in one instance 1986. There is also a huge backlog of criminal cases in the High Court. Kaieteur News understands that at the end of 2007 some 512 matters were pending. That year, a total of 69 depositions were filed in the High Court Registry, Georgetown; 20 in the Sub-Registry,Wholesale Jerseys, New Amsterdam; and one in Suddie,CHeap NFL Jerseys China, Essequibo making a total of 90 depositions filed.To this number must be added the pending backlog of 510 depositions making a grand total of 600 indictments to be heard. The judges heard and determined 67 criminal matters in Georgetown, 18 in Berbice and three in Suddie,Cheap Jerseys From China, leaving a total of 512 criminal matters to be heard.