After just over one week on trial for the alleged shooting to death of Dexter Griffith at East Ruimveldt, Georgetown, on September 29, 2015; the accused, Delon Henry, called “Nasty Man”, is likely to know his fate in the coming days.
At Tuesday’s hearing, the prosecution closed its case and defence called no witnesses. However, the defendant took the stand in an unsworn statement, telling the court that he knows nothing of the murder allegation and that he does not know the place called Warlock where the shooting occurred.
“I come from till up de East Bank. All de officer dem question me and I said I did not know about this murder. I did not shoot anybody,” Henry observed.
Before taking his seat, Henry claimed that the Police assaulted him, noting that he has always denied killing Griffith.
Delon Henry, called “Nasty Man”
However, Police Corporal Munilall Persaud testified earlier that he assisted Police Inspector Simeon Reid in conducting the photographic identification parade on October 6, 2015, at Criminal Investigations Department Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown.
Persaud told the court that he laid out 16 photographs, noting that witness Keswhan Griffith, brother of the deceased, selected the number ‘10’ photo which was that of Delon Henry. The detective claimed that at no time did he or anyone in his presence assist the witness in his selection of Henry’s picture.
The younger Griffith had testified earlier in the trial that he witnessed “Nasty Man” shooting his brother on that fateful night. One day before he participated in the ID parade, he saw the picture of the suspect in the State newspaper and made contact with Police.
When Corporal Persaud was cross-examined by defence Attorney Adrian Thompson, he maintained that he had no concern with conducting the ID parade the next day with Griffith after the witness related what he saw the day before. Persaud said if he had a problem with his senior’s instructions, he would comply and then complain but he saw no need to make a complaint against Inspector Reid.
Meantime, Police Prosecutor Neville Jeffers who conducted Henry’s Preliminary Inquiry, read the evidence of former Police Constable Maxwell Grant who resigned after never assuming duties after proceeding on leave. According to Grant’s deposition that was tendered at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts, the Constable’s evidence confirmed that five spent shells were recovered from the scene.
Grant had related that the evidence was retrieved, placed in bags and handed over to then Police Sergeant Eon Jackson who has tendered the exhibits at the Magistrates’ Courts. However, Jackson, the ballistics expert, revealed on Monday that he was unsuccessful in his attempts to locate the spent shells.
The case concludes before Justice Sandhil Kissoon who will soon put the matter to the jury to deliberate on Henry’s fate.
According to reports back then, after being shot, Griffith reportedly walked a short distance in an attempt to escape from Henry but eventually fell unconscious to the ground, while his assailant escaped. Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt are prosecuting the State’s case.
