Attempted murder case concludes today; Spear Gun victim testifies
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - The trial of attempted murder accused Bernell ‘Dan’ Duncan got underway yesterday and is expected to conclude today.
Duncan of Sandy Point is accused of attempting to take the life of Earlston Warner, a resident of the said village in which he lives.
According to the indictment, Duncan is charged with “attempted murder”, “wounding with intent” and “unlawful wounding” as he is accused of shooting Warner in his chest with a fishing gun and chopping him several times with a cutlass on the afternoon of August 5, 2005.
Warner, the Prosecution’s first witness, took the stand and recalled the gory details of the attack, noting he was on his way from Sir Gilles Mountain when the incident occurred.
“I was coming out of the cane field. When I was about to step out of the field I heard a sound. The sound was like something jumping in the grass. When I got onto the tractor track I continued hearing the sound. When I reached where I could see, I saw a fish gun pointing at me. I also saw ‘Dan’ holding the fishing gun, pointing at me. He was in a stooping position at the time…He was dressed in camouflage clothing.”
The virtual complainant [VC] recalled that that was when he began screaming as he feared for his life. ~~Adz:Right~~
“He shot me in the right side of my chest with the fishing gun. The harpoon from the gun caught me in the chest. I was struggling, trying to get out the (harpoon). While I was trying to get it out, he was holding the cord so I could not go anywhere.”
Warner told the court that the attack on him did not end there.
“He held up a cutlass and fired a chop and caught me on the right side of my head. He fired another two or three chops. At one point I had to put my hand to prevent him from chopping off my neck. When I got up I realised that three fingers on my left hand were hanging…”
The VC said he was also chopped on the neck. He further explained that on receipt of one of the wounds inflicted with the machete, he fell to the ground and the harpoon came free, at which point he fled for his life.
“He was still coming towards me with the machete so I took off running for my life. I ran towards Sandy Point Village and I ended up at the Western part of the Village at the SSMC gate…When I got to the gate, I flagged down a passenger bus; it took me to the Health Centre in Sandy Point…”
According to Warner, an Emergency Medical Services unit was at the Health Centre and he transported him to the Joseph N. France General Hospital where he was warded for 11 days.
Evidence was also heard from, among others, Wendell Woodley, driver of the bus which took Warner to the Sandy Point Health Centre and Woman Police Constable Lydia Hanley, the officer who arrested Duncan.
The Prosecution closed its case yesterday and the trial judge, His Lordship Francis Belle, is expected to sum up the evidence today.
