Murder case continues; parents of deceased testify…

By Terresa McCall
Reporter- SKNVibes.com

(L-R) Dion and Darren Berry

Bass and Matthew are accused of shooting at the brothers, Dion and Darren Berry, while they were travelling in a black motor jeep, PA6048, in the Bayfords area. 

Both men we injured during the onslaught but Darren died on the scene and Dion was transported to the Joseph N. France General Hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.

The father of the victims, Dion Bruce Berry, was the first to take the stand yesterday and explained to the court that on the day in question, he was somewhere on Prince’s Street when sometime between 3:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. he received a phone call.

“My son Darren called me then a while after my other son Dion called me. I left the office with members of the Task Force and proceeded to Bayfords. I got there in one of the Police vehicles. 

After we got to Bayfords we saw my son’s vehicle parked on the bank on the right hand side of the road. One of my sons was sitting on the opposite side of the road (Dion) while the other was lying on the side of the vehicle (Darren).  I observed that Darren was not moving and that he was shot. I observed that Dion’s arms and shoulders were all bloody and shot up.”

Berry told the court that while they were at Bayfords, a Land Rover arrived containing a number of Defence Force soldiers and shortly after an ambulance arrived on the scene. Dion, he explained, was taken to the Joseph N. France General Hospital, where he received medical attention.

Dion’s and Darren’s mother, Victoria Berry, told the court that on the day of the horrific incident she was returning to work after having lunch when she was informed that something was amiss.

“It was about after 3:00. I was trying to call Darren and he was not answering his phone. I called Dion’s number and he was not answering. My husband called me…I tried calling both numbers again…Then I called back Darren’s number and Dion answered. He spoke to me…”

Victoria Berry told the court that she picked up her sister and headed for the Joseph N. France General Hospital.  She further explained it was there that she saw Dion and having not seen Darren, she headed for the Bayfords area.

She said that while there, she was not allowed to see Dion and shortly thereafter the hearse came and removed his body.

“I was not allowed to see him,” the teary-eyed mother told the court.    ~~Adz:Right~~

Other witnesses who gave evidence yesterday were Delvin Benjamin, Richie Henry and Prince Henry.

Richie Henry said that in October 2006 he had called in to Radio Market to advertise the sale of his two horses and shortly after the number one accused, Matthew, whom he identified as ‘Terror’, called him and expressed interest in procuring one of the horses. Henry said Matthew visited him in Molyneaux and he was shown the horses.

According to Henry, Matthew then indicated that he would “round up the money” and get back to him, but the horses were missing on the following day. Henry said he went with his cousin, Delvin Benjamin, to inquire about the horses. He indicated that he hoped the horses would have been found, as he did not want to be accused of stealing; because if that had happened he might have shot someone in the face.

The horses were recovered by the owner in January 2007 and were taken back to the Molyneaux area in the company of Delvin Benjamin and Dion Berry who was driving the black motor jeep PA6048. Both Benjamin and Henry told the court that while transporting the horses to Molyneaux, they were being followed by the two accused who were on a motorcycle.

According to Benjamin’s testimony, he had purchased the said vehicle from the number two accused, Justin Bass, in September 2006 and sold it to Dion Berry in January 2007.

Prince Henry told the court that the brothers were his friends and, on the day of the incident, they visited his home at Stapleton Village and then left for Bayfords en route to their farm. He also indicated that he left his home and saw Matthew heading towards the Bayfords area on a motor and, within minutes, he saw the number two accused heading in the same direction in a motorcar.