Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
LAWYERS FOR the defence and the prosecution will begin to address the jury when the Kraal trial resumes today.
The defence closed its case yesterday at the trial of Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams and two other policemen charged with the murder of four persons in Kraal, Clarendon, on May 7, 2003.
Six policemen were charged, but three were freed on Monday after Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe ruled there was no case against them.
SSP Adams and Corporal Patrick Coke gave unsworn statements from the dock on Monday, while Corporal Shane Lyons gave his unsworn statement yesterday.
All three policemen said the police party went to Kraal on May 7, 2003 in search of Bashington Douglas, otherwise called 'Chen Chen' or 'Shortman'.
WARRANTS FOR SERIOUS CRIMES
They said there were warrants of arrest for Douglas for serious crimes such as murder and shooting with intent. When they went to the house, men on the premises shot at them and the police returned fire. Injured persons were found inside the house and a Winchester rifle and a Taurus pistol were recovered, the policemen said.
Lyons said after the shooting ended, he went in the house and saw a little girl who was unharmed.
Yesterday, he called United Kingdom forensic scientist Mark Mastaglio who said he conducted tests on bullet fragments. Mastaglio said that because of insufficient markings on the fragments he could not conclude that they were fired from a particular firearm which was labelled H.
The U.K. scientist said he disagreed with the opinion of Government forensic expert Daniel Wray that they were fired from the firearm labelled H. Evidence was given in court that the firearm labelled H was issued to Corporal Coke.
The defence tendered in evidence a statement which security guard Sofeleta Clayton, who was shot dead in Kraal in August 2004, had given to the police. The statement, read by Sergeant Eli Gardener, stated that on the night of May 7, 2003, she heard three men, including Douglas and Adrian Fearon, who was called 'Puxie', talking.
Fearon said, "When de boy dem jump out of the bus and me said, 'police,' and I fire one shot, di gun drop out of mi hand." He said he kicked the gun to 'Shortman' who said he fired only two shots.
