The murder trial of Carl Bennett began yesterday with a relative of the deceased, Marvin ‘Jess’ Boston testifying before Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court that she saw the accused stabbing Boston.
Bennett is on trial for the October 24, 2009 murder of Boston which occurred in Albouystown. He is accused of killing Boston during a fight that involved Boston’s cousin and Bennett’s brother Cordell.
Yesterday, Boston’s brother, Nigel Boston; policeman Nigel Stephens and Boston’s cousin Sonia Williams gave evidence.
In her evidence-in-chief, Sonia Williams said that she saw the accused stabbing Boston. She said Cordell and her brother were in a gutter fighting, while Carl was on the street a short distance away. She said the fight between her brother and Cordell lasted for about three minutes and Carl then left and went home. He returned shortly after with two knives and “start firing juks,” at her brother.
“Jess come out and snatch Carl by he hand and tell he humble and Carl hold on to Jess neck. Carl pelt a juk at Jess left side chest and Jess yelled out ‘oh gad Carly you gon kill me?’ And he said ‘yes’…,” the woman said while fighting back tears.
Cross-examining Sonia Williams, defence counsel Nigel Hughes asked her why she had not mentioned in her statement that his client went home and came back with two knives, when the matter was fresh in her mind. She responded that she was emotionally wrecked at the time the statement was taken.
Hughes will continue his cross-examination of Sonia Williams when the trial continues on Monday.
Meanwhile, Nigel Boston said in his evidence-in-chief that he witnessed the burial of his brother, while Stephens testified that he cautioned Bennett and put the allegation of his involvement in Boston’s murder to him. He also said that he had noticed injuries to Bennett’s face and his finger which was bandaged.
Stephens admitted under cross-examination by Hughes that no identification parade was held to identify the accused, nor did he ask Sonia Williams or her brother to point out the person who they claimed was involved in the killing.
Marvin Boston had resided in Albouystown along with the accused and his family.
Cordell, who had been charged with causing actual bodily harm to Williams’s brother, had said at the Magistrate Court that on the day in question, he and Carl had gone to confront Williams (male), who had been in a conflict with Carl earlier that day. He had also said that Boston and Williams (male) had attacked his brother and he had gotten into the fight to defend his brother since, “I couldn’t just stand up and see me younger brother get hurt.”
