Marlon Marion Freeman will on Monday testify and call three other witnesses as his High Court trial draws to a close. This was announced by his lawyer, Folio Richards, who informed the presiding judge, Justice James Bovell-Drakes, late last week that the defendant’s relatives: Wendy, Kellon and Sylvester Freeman, will be called to support his case.
It was also disclosed to the court that the accused will also lead his own defence before the 12-member jury. Richards has also requested an adjournment, which was granted by Justice Bovell-Drakes.
Marlon Freeman
This announcement in the weeks-long trial follows the Prosecution’s closing its case last week on the contention that it has called enough witnesses to the stand.
Freeman is accused of murdering miner Timothy Adams at Turtle Creek, Five Star Backdam, North West District (NWD) on December 22, 2013. The State is alleging that Freeman killed Adams before stealing his gold, following a confrontation between the two; but Freeman has maintained his innocence.
Government Pathologist Dr Nehaul Singh last Monday testified to having conducted the post-mortem examination on Adams, who was killed while en route to a mining camp. Dr Singh related seeing an abrasion to the left side of Adams’s face, a cut to the foot, and a cut to the top and back of the head. He gave the cause of death as haemorrhage and shock, compounded by blunt force trauma to the head.
Police Detective Corporal Bryan James had testified earlier in the trial that while giving the caution statement that he had penned in relation to the accused, Freeman had admitted that he might have killed Adams, because he thought the miner was going to pull a gun after he had confronted him over money that was owed to him. Bryan, who administered the caution statement on December 25, 2013 in the presence of then Police Constable Zane Williams, had indicated that Freeman had said he first went to work with his uncle at Five Star Backdam, but after they “got wrong”, he went to work at Gavin Blacks’ mining camp.
According to the caution statement, Freeman, a pork-knocker, was promised $5000 a day by Blacks, but after three weeks had passed, he was paid only $30,000. He had enquired from Blacks about his money, and sometime after lunch on the day in question, he bought a “piece of weed” and then saw Adams coming to the camp about 15 minutes later.
According to the caution statement, Freeman also enquired of Adams about his money, saying: “Big man, wam to me money?”
“I see he go to he waist, and I didn’t know if he had a gun or wah, but I had a spoon which I sharpen and I just jook he by he neck and he fall down. After I see he ain’t moving, I get nervous,” the defendant reportedly said. He then allegedly left the scene.
He also claimed that the gold he later gave a female was not taken from the deceased man, but it was gold that he had in his possession. The case continues March 5.
