“I just killed the police…”
Statement of deceased alleges as Cannonier’s confession
SKNVibes Staff Reporter
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Romeo Cannonier
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(Basseterre; St. Kitts)- The trial of Romeo Cannonier, who is accused of brutally shooting Constable Delvin Nisbett to death, in 2004, took an interesting twist when a statement from a deceased person was used by the Prosecuting team to push their case against the accused.
The statement of Gavin “Magilla” Gilbert, who was murdered in 2005, was read out in court, by Sergeant Glenroy Browne, who took the statement from the deceased on November 26th, 2004.
Prior to the reading of Gilbert’s statement, there was an objection from Cannonier’s lawyer, Hesketh Benjamin, who argued that the statement should not be admissible in the case as evidence, as Gilbert was not present in court or at the Preliminary Inquiry and no notice was given by the Prosecuting team to state why Gilbert was not present.
“I cannot cross-examine a paper,” Benjamin argued.
However, the presiding Judge, His Lordship Francis Belle, overruled the objection after Sir Richard Cheltenham, the lead Counsel for the Prosecution, read an Act that was passed nine years ago, that allows for the admittance of such a statement.
“If a witness had given testimony under the Commission of Oath, such as in Gilbert’s case, and he had lost his life before he is able to testify in Court, then his evidence can be submitted in court,” Sir Cheltenham offered as he supported the admission of Gilbert’s statement.
~~Adz:Right~~ At the time of Nisbett’s murder, Gilbert was on remand for a wounding with intent case that also involved Darrius Warner. He met up with Cannonier at the Magistrate Court in Sandy Point after he (Cannonier) was arrested and charged with the murder.
Gilbert’s statement noted that he had known the accused Romeo Cannonier, also known as Buncome, for a number of years but they actually became friends in 2003.
Gilbert said that Cannonier told him about a “gun” and where he had hidden it. The statement also alleges that a map of where the gun was located was also provided. Cannonier also wanted Gilbert to give the gun to someone.
The statement also noted that Cannonier told Gilbert to ensure that he did not get caught with the gun because it was what he used to kill “the police.”
“I asked why he killed the police because everyone said he was a cool police,” Gilbert’s statement said.
“I just kill the police. I ain’t like police,” was the response from Cannonier quoted from Gilbert’s statement.
After Gilbert received bail, he gave the gun to Vincent Warner. The gun was later found by the Police with the aid of a trained dog.
Corporal Leslie Connor, Police Photographer attached to the Criminal Records Office, said that he was at the scene of the crime and took photos of the deceased on the night of the murder.
The photographs were presented in court and shown to the jury.
Sergeant Leonard Brown who is stationed at Police Headquarters, and Caroline Zerbos, of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Laboratory and DNA Unit, were also called in to testify by the Prosecution yesterday.
The trial continues today, Thursday, Oct. 18.
