The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Court Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A VISIBLY distraught mother gave testimony in the Supreme Court yesterday in the murder trial of two men charged with the shooting death of her son in 2016.

Giovanni Clarke, represented by attorney Calvin Seymour, and Dekeil Bowe, represented by Attorney Ryszard Humes, faced Justice Guilimina Archer-Minns on charges of murder and attempted murder.

According to Prosecutor Kenny Thompson, who presides over the case with Timothy Bailey, on April 13, 2016, the accused allegedly shot 23-year-old Akeem Raheem Brennen and Ken Rolle while their car was parked at a traffic light on Robinson Road.

While Rolle survived his injuries, Brennen was pronounced dead in the parking lot of the Police Traffic Division on East West Highway on the same night.

One of the first witnesses to testify was Detective Sergeant Frazer who was attached to the CSI unit at the time of the incident and served as photographer and evidence collector.

It was on April 20, 2016, at around 10pm that he spoke to the forensic pathologist at the Grand Laboratory of PMH and was shown Brennen’s body.

There the officer observed that the victim had suffered from several apparent gunshot injuries, including two gunshot wounds to the neck as well as a wound to the centre chest area.

In addition to taking photographs of the body, SGT Frazer said he collected several exhibits in a post mortem kit.

These items included blood, urine and vitreous humor samples, as well as two fired bullets removed from the deceased.

After receiving these items and completing the request analysis form, the officer proceeded to the CSI office where he handed over the kit to the relevant official and uploaded the photos to a CD.

This CD was shown in court and entered into evidence. A photo album showing the deceased victim’s body was also shown in court and likewise logged into evidence.

In his cross-examination, Mr Seymour asked why the samples were taken to a lab to which the officer said for a toxicology report.

When Sgt Frazer was asked if he ever received the report’s results, he said he had not.

While the officer told counsel during questioning that he did not know if the bullets were analysed, Sgt Frazer told Mr Humes that he did not take photos of the recovered bullets.

The second witness called to give testimony was Brennen’s mother. A distraught Ms Marshall told the court that on the day of the murder she got a call from her daughter and then went with her to the police station at East West Highway.

Once there, she was taken to the morgue to identify her son’s remains saying that he was “just laying there dead”.

When asked by the prosecution of the last time she had seen her son alive, she said it was the Wednesday that he died.

Regarding questions of her child’s health and well being before the incident, Ms Marshall said that her son did not suffer from any illnesses or expressed any concern for himself at the time.

She told the court that he was in a friendly mood the last time she saw him and that her son was “always smiling”.

Before leaving the witness stand, Ms Marshall confirmed that it was her son’s body in the photos presented in court.

In Detective Constable Nelson Rahming’s testimony he said that he was attached to the Traffic Division of the East West Highway station on the day of the incident. It was at that time that he recalled a dark male, later identified as Ken Rolle, entering the station requesting assistance.

Once he went outside the station, Mr Rahming said he saw a blue 2001 Honda Accord with gunshot damage to the front windshield and front right side passenger door.

Upon further inspection he saw Brennen’s body bent over in the front passenger seat with his eyes open and apparently lifeless.

He further said that he saw seven unfired rounds of .40 ammunition in the vehicle as well as one spent bullet believed to be from the shooting.

The officer also said there was suspected Indian hemp in the Honda at the time.

Mr Rahming recalled that EMS services pronounced Brennen dead at the scene and that he accompanied Rolle, the survivor in this matter, to PMH.

There, Rolle was treated and discharged for a gunshot wound in his right arm.

After being treated, Mr Rahming said that Rolle was taken to Central Police Station for safekeeping and a subsequent interview, as he was arrested as a suspect for the murder and drugs.

During cross-examination from the defence’s counsel, Mr Rahming confirmed that he was the first officer to examine the vehicle and was the one to see Rolle get out of the car.

He also told the court that Rolle indicated that he and Brennen were the only ones in the car when they arrived at the station.

However, when asked if he knew of a third person connected to the vehicle or inquired as to the car’s owner, the officer replied that he had not.

The trial will continue today at 11am.