The man who is accused of the murder of 64-year-old Ambassador Peter King is to state his defence today when his trial resumes in the Home Circuit Court.

The Crown closed its case yesterday after calling 17 witnesses at the trial of 26-year-old labourer Sheldon Pusey.

Defence lawyer Berry Bryan will be making submissions today in the absence of the 12-member jury.

Drugged

Yesterday, Bryan made suggestions to the investigating officer, Superintendent McArthur Sutherland, that the accused told him on March 5, 2007, that he was drugged with some type of liquor that King gave him to drink. Bryan suggested that the superintendent was the first to mention to Pusey that he was acting in self-defence when he related the incident, which took place at the deceased's house.

Denies suggestion

The superintendent denied the suggestions and said he did not see the accused on March 5, 2007.

Bryan theorised that Supt Sutherland told Pusey that he did not intend to kill King and that was why he (Pusey) covered up King and Pusey replied: "Mi can't remember everything because I was drugged, but if you say a so, it must be so."

The superintendent replied that he and Pusey had no such conversation.

The Crown, represented by prosecutors Caroline Hay and Dahlia Findlay, led evidence that King was fatally stabbed at his home at 11A Waterloo Road, Kingston 10, between March 19 and 20, 2006.

Pusey was arrested and charged in March 2007.