By Yolande Gyles, Staff Reporter 
A DETECTIVE Corporal yesterday denied being a part of a police conspiracy to kill the seven youths at Braeton last year March. He told yesterday's Coroner's Inquest into the Braeton killings that he did not discharge his weapon that morning, nor did he conspire in the shooting that morning.
Under cross-examination by Roger Davis representing the estate of Andre Virgo, he admitted that the murder of his fellow police officer, Dwight Gibson at the Above Rocks police station made him and his colleagues "eager" in carrying out their police duties.
Detective Corporal McFarlane whose full identity the court has asked the media not to reveal, said that at the briefing held at a police station early that morning he and the other officers were told that they were going to apprehend gunmen in the Cassava Piece area. He said that for the entire time during the operation he had the details of the briefing on his mind.
According to Det. Corporal McFarlane, he was among a number of officers who rushed on to the property at Cassava Piece that morning. However, they did not do the same at West Cumberland or at Fifth Seal Way Braeton. At Braeton, he said that some persons went down to the house, and "when they came back up it was decided not to run down, based on certain tactical movements." He also said that after the 10 men who were to go on to the Braeton premises were chosen they "were given certain instructions as to what to do in terms of policing." Concern-ing shooting which came from the house, Detective Corporal McFarlane told the court that while he cannot say how many shots he heard, he was quite sure that it was more than one. He also said that he did not hear any bullets striking the metal windows, but "one thing I am sure is that somebody was firing through the hole I made in that window."
Detective Corporal McFarlane said that he had taken cover as soon as the shooting started by falling to the ground below a set of windows. He said that he stayed there for sometime until after the shooting had stopped. According to McFarlane, it was only after he heard voices of police officers from inside the house that he knew it was safe to move and so he got up and went inside the house.
He said that the first sign of blood he saw was at the back door of the house. According to Mr. McFarlane the only thing he did with regards to the injured persons he saw was to look at them. He also said that at no time did he see any of his fellow officers do anything else other than to look at them.
When it was suggested to McFarlane by attorney-at-law Dennis Daley Q.C. who represents the estate of Regan Beckford that his entire story was a lie and that none of it happened, Mr. McFarlane strenuously denied it. "I am sure of what happened that morning and I am telling you what happened. I have picked up the bible and come into court and I am here telling you the truth."
The Inquest will continue tomorrow in the St. Catherine Resident Magistrate's Court.
