In a caution statement (CS) he gave to police, murder accused Aniki Jones said that it was Carl Garnette who attacked and chopped him in the head with a cutlass, resulting in a fight thereafter ensuing between them.
Jones is currently on trial for Garnette’s murder, before Justice Nareshwar Harnanan and a 12-member mixed jury at the High Court in Georgetown.
The charge against him, is that on December 15, 2013 at Lot 8 Clifford Street, Lamaha Springs, Joint Services Housing Scheme, Georgetown, he murdered Garnette.
He has pleaded not guilty to the capital indictment.
The caution statement which was tendered and admitted into evidence, without challenge from the defence, was read to the court by Detective Superintendent of Police, Joel David.
David recounted putting the allegation to the accused and cautioning him that he was not obliged to say anything unless he wished to so do, and that anything he said may be given in evidence.
The court heard from the detective superintendent, that Jones then related his story, to which he subsequently had no objections being reproduced in writing.
The witness said he then explained to the accused that he (David) could write what he had to say, and that he could have his attorney, a relative or friend present; and that he, (Jones) could also write his statement himself.
David said that the accused elected him to write the statement and made no request for the category of persons listed, to be present.
The court heard from the statement, that Jones was lying on a bed on the day in question, when Garnette appeared with a cutlass and fired a chop which missed him. He said, however, that a second chop connected to the left side of his head.
Thereafter, the accused in his CS, said he got off the bed and approached Garnette and a fight ensured between them. He said he pushed the man away into some dishes which fell on the ground.
The court heard that Jones related that he stomped Garnette as he thought the man would have further injured him. From the statement, he said he then lost consciousness which he regained in hospital.
David read from the CS, of the accused saying that he later learnt that Garnette had died and related that he was sorry to have heard of the man’s passing.
The court heard from the statement, of Jones relating that at the time of the incident, he shared a common law relationship with Garnette’s estranged wife Rhonda, and that the deceased had been annoyed that the woman had taken him (Jones).
According to what the accused said in his statement, on the day in question, Garnette telephoned Rhonda, and thereafter, the man showed up at the house he once shared with his wife.
The court heard that Garnette barged in and chopped him as he was lying on the bed.
Under cross-examination from defence attorney Mark Conway, David agreed that from the statement, it was only Garnette who was armed.
When asked, he concurred with Conway, that from his dealings with the matter, he found nothing to contradict that it was only Garnette who was armed.
Testifying at yesterday’s hearing also, were Crime Scene Examiner Floyd Hosannah and Police Photographer and Crime Scene Investigator Kurt Williams, who both testified to retrieving five knives from the scene with suspected blood stains.
They both, also told the court that a cutlass was found at the scene.
These items were all tendered and admitted as exhibits in the trial, as were 19 crime scene photographs.
The case continues this morning at 9.
The state’s case is being presented by Prosecutor Shawnette Austin, in association with Siand Dhurjon and Lisa Cave.
