Michelle killed for spitting in food...says murder accused

By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com

William 'Willy' Benjamin

Benjamin is accused of committing the murder of his sister-in-law, Michelle Weekes-Benjamin, sometime between October 29 and 30, 2006 at her home in Carifesta Village, St. Peters.

The prosecution is hoping to prove that William Benjamin, with the use of a pillow, smothered Weeks-Benjamin causing her to die; after which he sought and received assistance in disposing the body in the septic tank of a three-storey Rosemary Lane, Basseterre building which was at the time under construction.

Superintendent of Prisons Franklyn Dorset told the court yesterday morning that he had reason to meet with the accused and his brother, who is also the husband of Weekes-Benjamin, Leroy Benjamin Jr., shortly after they were remanded to and processed at Her Majesty’s Prison. Dorset explained that he was present when the brothers spoke of certain things relative to Michelle’s death.

“After they were processed, I indicated that I wanted to speak to them. This was something that we normally do…This was done at my office. Leroy Benjamin Jr. said to William Benjamin, ‘Why me’, about three times. William Benjamin stared at him (and) appeared to be in shock and said, ‘He ain’t do nothing…he ain’t do nothing.’ Leroy Benjamin asked him what happened. He said he got up and was going to the fridge and he saw the deceased spit in his food. Leroy Benjamin replied, ‘You lie, Michelle wouldn’t do that!’ Leroy Benjamin then asked him what else happened. He said that he used a pillow, put it over Michelle’s head and stifle her. Leroy said, ‘You couldn’t do that by yourself. Who else was with you?’  William replied, ‘I don’t want to snitch or rat on anybody’.”

The Superintendent told the court that William Benjamin then asked him to contact Inspector Venetta Wyatt, which he did.

“She came. She spoke to William in my presence and then she called Woman Sergeant (SGT) Denise Christopher. William gave a statement to Wyatt in my presence and in the presence of Christopher. The statement was read over to him. He read the statement over himself. Am not certain if he made any changes…”    ~~Adz:Right~~

Under cross-examination, the Superintendent told the court that in his presence, at no time, were any promises made to William Benjamin in exchange for his statement.

Inspector Wyatt was also called to the witness stand and, according to her testimony, on Sunday, November 5, 2006 she received a call indicating that William Benjamin who was in police custody at the Cayon Police Station wanted to meet with her.

She told the court that she journeyed to the station, where she was allowed to speak with the accused and she recorded a statement from him. This statement, she informed, was not recorded “under caution”.

On Tuesday, November 7, 2006, as indicated by the Inspector, she was summoned to Her Majesty’s Prison by Superintendent Dorset and when she arrived she met the Superintendent and the Benjamin brothers. She said Benjamin Jr. left the room after which William Benjamin spoke to her. Wyatt said she told him she would have to record the statement “under caution”.

“William Benjamin told me that he wanted to give me another statement concerning the incident of Michelle Benjamin’s death. I told him we will have to get someone to witness the statement. I told him we are going to get SGT Christopher…He had no objection,” Inspector Wyatt said.

She further explained that she wrote as William Benjamin spoke and when the statement was fully recorded “he was invited to make corrections, alterations or additions”, after which the statement was read over to him, corrections made and he affixed his signature. The Inspector said she signed the statement as the individual who had recorded it and SGT Christopher signed it as the witness.

Further stated by the Inspector was that there were no inducements, threats or promises made to the accused in exchange for his statement.

After an application was made for the statement to be admitted into evidence, Inspector Wyatt was given permission to read it in court.

According to the statement, William Benjamin, who was at the time living with his brother and the deceased at their Carifesta home, arrived there sometime after 1:00 on Monday morning and met the house in darkness with Michelle and her husband asleep in their separate rooms.

~~Adz:Left~~ “I went in my room, took off my clothes and went to sleep, woke up to go to the bathroom.  While I was going out I heard the fridge door open. I peeped and I saw Michelle leaning over into the fridge, picked up my plate of food…I then saw her cough over my food and I saw her spat in it. I then went back into my room looking for something like a weapon…came back out.  I had no weapon in my hand at this point. Michelle was already back into her room. I walked quietly down the hallway, slightly pushed Michelle’s door, saw Michelle lying down on the bed on her stomach…I then went in Michelle’s room. I then jumped on Michelle. She made a noise and I hold her in submission in a lock with my two feet wrapped around her arms and body…”

Further indicated in the statement is that William Benjamin placed one hand around Michelle’s neck and the other over her mouth, but after she bit him on his finger, he jerked his hand from her mouth and used the same hand to force her head into the pillow while “squeezing her neck with my right hand”.

According to the statement, William Benjamin held Michelle in that position in excess of 15 minutes, after which he bound her hands, feet and mouth with duct tape and placed plastic over her face. The statement further informs that he solicited the assistance of his friend, Khoy Jeffers, which was received; and the body, which was wrapped in a red and white sheet, and the mattress on which Michelle was smothered, were loaded into a white van and taken to Rosemary Lane. 

William Benjamin, according to the statement, “needed an extra hand, which I called…” and Michelle’s body was placed in the septic tank of the building while the mattress and pillows were discarded in the country side, “going in the Sandy Point direction”.

After dropping Jeffers off at his destination, the statement continued, William Benjamin went home, went into the refrigerator, took the food and threw it outside; after which he sought to treat himself for the injuries he had received. 

Dotted across the statement are admissions exculpating his brother from any blame associated with the incident. “My brother doesn’t have anything to do with this.”

Under cross-examination, the Inspector said when she visited the accused at the Cayon Police Station, it was done not as a police officer but as a motherly figure, as his Sunday school teacher and as someone whom he had grown to trust. She also said the statement she took then spoke of William Benjamin’s return from England and encounters between himself and the deceased.

Further evidence given by the Inspector, under cross-examination, states that when the November 7, 2006 statement was recorded, no lawyer was present and Willliam Benjamin was not reminded or informed of his right to have counsel present. However, while being re-examined, she told the court that it is customary for statements to be taken in the absence of counsel.

Lead investigator in the case, the then SGT Denise Christopher, told the court of her investigations into the matter and spoke of search warrants which she executed and warrants of arrests which she served.

One warrant of arrest was served on George. Christopher said on November 8, 2006 she spoke with George and indicated to him that she was making investigations into the murder of Michelle Weeks-Benjamin and cautioned him, to which he indicated he had nothing to say and he had no involvement. Willliam Benjamin’s statement, Christopher continued, was read to George and after he was handed a copy of the warrant, he said, “Me charge ain’t suppose to be so big if I give a hand.”

During cross-examination, the then police officer explained that during her investigations she neither carried out fingerprint tests on the accused as she was “following instructions”, nor did she take any clothing from him as evidence.

Number one accused William Benjamin is represented by Reginald W. James while the number two accused, Shervin ‘Squeaky’ George, is represented by Hesketh Benjamin. Sir Richard Cheltenham QC of Barbados is prosecuting the case.

Court resumes today when the prosecution will continue its case.