– as ‘South Central’ murder trial continues

AS the “South Central Hotel” murder trial continued in the Georgetown High Court before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury on Thursday following a voir dire (a trial within a trial), Lance Corporal Dwayne McPherson testified.

According to the State’s case, between November 13 and 14, 2013, the accused Brian Leitch, called “Big Foot”, allegedly murdered hotelier, Joseph Jagdeo called “Joey”, at his place of business, the South Central Hotel located on South Road, Lacytown.

In his opening address, State prosecutor Mandel Moore told the court that between November 13 and 14, 2013, the accused allegedly murdered the deceased and stuffed his body under a bed.

The State is represented by Mandel Moore and Lisa Cave while the defence attorneys are Lawrence Harris and Hewley Griffith.

The police witness told the court that he was on duty at the Crime Lab at CID headquarters as a Crime Scene Examiner on November 13, 2013 when a request was made by Sergeant Phillip Bowman of CID Brickdam Police Station for a Crime Scene Examiner and a photographer to visit an alleged crime scene at Lot 218 South Road, Lacytown, Georgetown.

As a result, McPherson and Constable Charles left for the Brickdam Police Station equipped with a crime scene kit and a digital camera.

The police witness related that upon arrival at the crime scene, he met and spoke with Sergeant Bowman who gave him certain information which caused him to go to Room 10 of the said property.

McPherson said that whilst in Room 10, he instructed Constable Charles to take photographic exposures of the said room.

After his examination of Room 10, he observed a motionless body of a male of East Indian descent under the bed.

The witness said that in order for him to get a closer look at the body, he removed the mattress from the bed, and whilst doing so, that he observed what appeared to be blood stains on the mattress.

McPherson told the court that he removed the covering of the mattress and placed it in an evidence bag which he sealed and affixed with his signature and regulation number.

That done, he said he then examined the body and observed that while there were no marks of violence, the hands and feet were bound.

He told Constable Charles to take photos of the body, after which they returned to the Crime Lab at CID HQ where he submitted an analysis form and the evidence bag to ASP Vishal Jaigobin.

McPherson told the court that on February 25, 2014, he uplifted the said evidence bag and analysis form and took it to the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court where it was marked and tendered and he did the same on Thursday at the Georgetown High Court.

Under cross-examination by defence attorney Hewley Griffith, the witness was asked whether he spoke to anyone at the hotel and he said he didn’t, nor did he examine the door of Room 10.

McPherson was questioned whether he had the key to the room, and he replied in the negative and also stated he did not examine the window in that room.

The police witness added that he had no need for the room key, because when he got there, the door was already opened.

ASP Vishal Jaigobin identified the analysis bag and its contents as the same he processed at the Police Crime Lab.