By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A JURY yesterday heard a different account of the events that transpired in Gambier Village two years ago concerning the murder of businessman Kurt McCartney by a child witness whose evidence the Crown opted not to use.
The 12-member panel previously heard from an anonymous Crown witness who gave varying accounts of the murder. Witness “AB” has previously told the court that the pharmacist was arguing with one of two women he was walking with and that this woman signalled to a man who approached and shoved McCartney before shooting the victim.
However, yesterday a 12-year-old witness told the jury that there was a single assailant who startled McCartney as he was trying to enter his vehicle, shot him in the head and then sped off in the victim’s car after rolling over him.
Thorne Edwards, Okell Farrington, Sumya Ingraham and Lyndera Curry are on trial for McCartney’s murder and armed robbery at Gambier Village. They have denied the allegations.
Businessman and community activist Terry Delancy is accused of being an accessory to the murder after the fact. He also denied the allegation.
It is alleged that Edwards shot McCartney in the face after he became involved in an argument between Curry and McCartney. McCartney was crushed when Farrington, Ingraham and Curry allegedly rolled over his body as they fled the scene in the victim’s Hummer.
Ingraham, Curry, Edwards and Farrington are respectively represented by Ms Farquharson-Seymour, Sonia Timothy, Terrel Butler and Philip Hilton.
Delancy is represented by Ian Cargill. Roger Thompson is prosecuting the case.
In yesterday’s proceedings before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs, Mr Thompson called the 12-year-old to the stand but led no evidence in chief after the girl took the oath.
Mr Hilton asked the witness if she recalled “seeing anyone get shoot in Gambier?” “No, sir,” the witness said.
“You didn’t see someone jump in a jeep and speed off? You don’t remember a jeep rolling over anybody?” the lawyer asked. “No, sir,” the witness said.
Ms Timothy later asked the witness if she was shown a statement of what she told police. “No ma’am,” the witness answered.
The witness, when shown a statement given to police, identified her signature but didn’t recall telling anyone what she read.
Mrs Farquharson-Seymour opted to probe the child extensively.
“You would’ve signed this (statement) at a police station?” Ingraham’s lawyer asked. “I don’t remember,” the witness said.
“So you don’t remember a police woman?” the lawyer further questioned.
“No,” the witness said.
“I’m going to put it to you that you told the police woman who your cousins were,” Mrs Farquharson-Seymour said.
“Yes, ma’am,” the witness said.
The lawyer asked for the witness to read over her statement in order to refresh her memory. The judge granted the request.
“You were playing with your cousins?” the lawyer then asked.
The witness said “yes”.
“Whilst playing with your cousins, you then went to get some food at Keva’s Take-a-way,” the lawyer suggested.
“Yes, ma’am,” the witness said.
“When you got the food you walked along the road to the clinic correct?” the lawyer suggested. The witness agreed.
The witness also agreed that there was a shortcut near the bar.
“You saw a white man with a Bud Light in his hand, correct?” the lawyer probed. The witness said yes.
“He walked out of the bar to a jeep is that correct?” the lawyer asked.
The witness said yes.
“He put his keys in the door?” the lawyer asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” the witness said.
“And then you saw a tall man wearing a black hoodie jacket, long blue jeans?” the lawyer asked.
“Yes, ma’am,” the witness said.
“Where’d the tall man come from?” the lawyer asked.
“From the side of the jeep,” the witness said.
“The white man with the Bud Light started to run, is that correct?” Mrs Farquharson-Seymour asked. The witness said “yes”.
“The tall man yanked the back of the white man’s collar?” the lawyer asked. The witness again said “yes”.
“What did you see him (tall man) do next?” the lawyer asked.
“Shoot him,” the witness said.
“Which part of the body he put the gun to?” Ingraham’s lawyer asked. The witness pointed to the back of the head.
“How many times he shot him?” the lawyer further probed. The witness said “once.”
The witness said the tall man jumped into the jeep, “bump into the lamp post and rolled over him.”
“Did you see anyone else go into the jeep?” the lawyer asked. The witness said no.
“Did you see the man’s face who shoot the white man?” Mrs Farquharson-Seymour asked.
The witness said no and admitted being scared after witnessing the event.
“What you said to us, is that the truth?” the lawyer asked.
The witness said it was.
The Crown then closed its case.
The judge is expected to rule today on legal submissions heard in the jury’s absence yesterday afternoon.
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