Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
LAUGHTER ERUPTED in court yesterday at the Flankers double murder case when Constable Richard Thompson testified that when he and other policemen took cover from gunmen at Flankers, St. James, he was the last one to get up.
Constable Thompson was testifying in the Home Circuit Court at the trial of Woman Constable Bibzie Foster and four policemen charged with the murder of two senior citizens at Flankers on October 25, 2003.
Following several interruptions yesterday, Justice Kay Beckford issued a stern warning to the lawyers on both sides that the trial was going to be conducted in a proper manner.
The Crown, represented by Paula Llewellyn, Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, and Jeremy Taylor, Crown Counsel, is alleging that the police opened fire at a motor car in which 63-year-old taxi operator David Bacchas; 63-year-old chef Cecil Brown; and 54-year-old Audrey Stephens were
travelling. The men died and Stephens was wounded.
The policemen charged are Special Constable Metro McFarlane and constables Kevin Williams, Kadian Smith and Donald Thomas.
SHOT AT BY GUNMEN
Yesterday Constable Thompson supported the testimony given on Monday by Superintendent Derrick 'Cowboy' Knight that the police party was shot at by gunmen in Flankers and the police returned the fire.
Constable Thompson said that when they reached the Red Ground area about 3:15 a.m. on the day of the incident, a group of gunmen opened fire at them. He said they took cover on the ground and some members of the party returned the fire; however, he did not fire his weapon "because I was busy covering myself so I did not get hit."
