News

Police drank beer after shooting - witness

By BARBARA GAYLE, Staff Reporter

ONE OF THE two civilian witnesses who testified yesterday at the Braeton murder trial said that after the shooting ended on March 14, 2001, policemen were in the car park near to 1088 Fifth Seal Way, Braeton, St. Catherine, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes.

He said that policemen also fired shots in the air from the car park.

The witness, who is related to Christopher Grant, one of the seven young men shot dead inside the house at 1088 Fith Seal Way, was testifying at the trial of the six policemen charged with the murder of the seven men.

He said he saw a policemen remove a 25-pound cooking gas cylinder from the premises and put it in a police jeep. He said the cylinder belonged to him.

He said about 3 a.m. on March 14, 2001 the police came to his home and forced him to take them to where Grant, his nephew, lived in Braeton. The witness said policemen entered the premises and he heard gunshots being fired. He said he heard a voice crying and saying that they killed Chris and they were going to kill them too. He said he heard a barrage of gunshots and heard voices crying out for "Mr. Corpie" and "Mr. Bunny."

Four gunshots

The witness told the Home Circuit Court jury that some time after the shooting began, he was taken to the gate of the premises and while there he heard more shots being fired and voices crying out for "murder".

Under cross-examination the witness admitted that in the 1990s he pleaded guilty to charges of illegal possession of firearm and robbery with aggravation.

Another witness who lived in front of the house at 1088 Seal Way said about 4.30 a.m. on March 14, 2001, he heard a knocking coming from the house where the seven young men were killed and a voice saying several times "police, open up". He heard four gunshots after the voice shouted 'police'.

After the four shots were fired, he said he saw a man running from the gate.

The man said shots were being fired and told policemen who were in the pathway to get "flat". The witness said at the time he was peeping through his window and he also got flat by lying under his bed. He related that after that he heard a barrage of gunshots which lasted for some time. He added that while shots were being fired, he heard a voice saying "Mr. Corpie, come help wi".

When the shooting ceased, he saw a policemen come from the house. He said at that time he was by his gate and the policeman showed him four guns. He next saw bodies being removed from the house. The bodies were placed into police jeeps and taken away.

Cross-examined by defence lawyers, the witness said that before the shooting began, he did not see any young men in the pathway.