BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - TWO men, Roy Murray and Darrel Sutton, are presently on trial for the October 28, 2011 beating of a young man.
The trial, prosecuted by Counsel Greatess Gordon and assisted by Counsel O'Neil Simpson, began this morning (Feb. 26) with the virtual complainant, Police Constable Nkosie Lucas giving details of what transpired on the morning of the incident.
Lucas told the Court that he journeyed to the Challengers Community Centre for a Youth Skills class and was the first to arrive at 8:30 a.m. He said when the teacher and other students arrived, they went to the second floor of the building where the class was being kept.
He said while the class was in session, a female student told the teacher something, left the class and upon her return, she told the teacher something else, and the teacher exited the class and went down the hallway.
The witness testified that five men rushed into the classroom wearing black clothing over their faces with sticklike objects in hand. He said everyone ran about the room and he ran under a desk.
He said he was cornered by two of the men, one tackling him from the front end of the desk while the other beat him from the back end of the desk.
Lucas told the Court he received blows to the right side of his face and both arms among other places, adding that the incident happened very quickly and was very violent. He said when the five-minute ordeal ended, he was on the ground bleeding heavily and was also dizzy.
He said he did not see the faces of the men who beat him.
The witness said the students and teacher assisted him downstairs and he could recall seeing an Officer Boyd taking notes. He said he was taken to the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital where Officer Boyd gave him a pink form which he gave to the Doctor that attended to him.
He said the Doctor cleaned and bandaged his wound and he was taken for an x-ray.
Lucas was cross-examined by Attorney Chesley Hamilton who is representing Sutton and when asked why he was unable to see the men who beat him, he stated that the incident "happened so fast" that he was only able to see their body size.
Hamilton questioned if Lucas was able to identify anything in particular on the men to which he replied in the negative.
He also stated that he did not see Sutton on the morning of the incident.
Murray, who is self-represented, asked Lucas if he saw him anywhere on the morning of the incident to which he replied in the negative.
Lucas said there were a group of persons under the tree just behind the Challengers bus stop but he could not recall seeing anyone in particular.
Also giving evidence on behalf of the prosecution was Officer Janet Boyd who told the Court that she was on duty when she received a report of a beating.
She said when she arrived at the Challengers Community Centre and went upstairs, she spoke to Lucas and observed a cut over his right eye as well as blood. She said she also spoke to a number of students who were present.
She explained that she took him to the JNF Hospital and gave him a pink form which was returned.
Later that day, Boyd said she saw and spoke to both accused at the Old Road Police Station and when she cautioned and told them about the report that was made, they both said they did not do anything.
She said she continued her investigations and both men were cautioned and arrested on warrants in the first instance. She said they made no further statements and they were given copies of the warrants.
During cross examination, it was revealed that the two accused men were with three others at the Old Road Police Station and that their clothing were not taken for testing for blood analysis.
It was also revealed that no weapons or dark clothing were recovered during the investigation.
Boyd said she saw Murray on the morning of the incident but not Sutton.
Dr. Sharon Archibald and key witness Miss Flemming also testified on behalf of the prosecution. The case continues tomorrow (Feb. 27).
