By Michel Outridge
DESMOND McPherson, called “Baby Boy,” is before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and a 12-member jury for the attempted murder of Dexter Richards, called “Obeah Man.”According to the indictment, McPherson unlawfully and maliciously wounded Richards with intent to commit murder on March 14, 2011 at Meadowbrook, Georgetown.

The accused is being represented by Peter Hugh, while the state prosecutors are Michael Shahoud and Orinthia Schmidt.

The first witness, Dexter Richards, testified yesterday and told the court that he was sheltering from the rain on March 14, 2011 by a shop at Meadowbrook after collecting some money for work he had done.

He said that there were persons playing dominoes and cards and the place was adequately illuminated. He had purchased a juice and made a telephone call for a taxi to pick him up, when he heard someone say, “Obeah Man y’all does want people rob y’all.”

He said he recognised the individual as Desmond McPherson after he came up to him and he knocked off his hat and a scuffle ensued, but persons came to separate them.

Richards stated that as he was exiting the shop he heard someone shouting, “Look out! Look out!” He then saw the accused coming towards him with a long knife which he described as a “Rambo” knife.

At that point, Richards told the court that he tried to run but fell and the knife was pushed into his belly and he started to bleed profusely and remembered his intestines protruding like “chicken runners” and he shoved it back into place.

He recalled being placed in a car and taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery and spent four days in the institution.

Under cross-examination by Defence Counsel Peter Hugh yesterday afternoon, it was suggested to Richards that the accused did not push a knife into his belly, but he got injured when he fell onto a stand by the roadside which had zinc on it. He, however, maintained that he was stabbed.

He pulled up his shirt and displayed scars of the injury to the jury yesterday — a cut to the back and another on his belly, which showed a healed, sutured wound.

Two police witnesses, Lillian Scotland and Rodwell Chapman, were also called to testify.
The case continues today at 09:00hrs.