“Boy” chopped me twice to the head – Grove man tells jury

The attempted murder trial of Andy Boodram, known as “Boy”, commenced before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown on Monday as the chopping victim, Deonarine Prasad, called “Anil”, identified the accused as the one who chopped him to the head.
Appearing before a 12-member jury, “Anil” explained that “Boy” chopped him twice on September 24, 2011 following a dispute that stemmed from Boodram playing his music loudly at his Grove, East Bank Demerara (EBD) residence, which also served as a business place.
According to the Virtual Complainant (VC), “Boy”, whom he had known about nine months prior to the incident, operated a shop and would play music to entertain his customers. However, Prasad said that he came outside and asked him to lower the volume of the music as he and his wife had a young child. He claimed that they exchanged expletives for 15 minutes after Boodram told him that he was not “turning down no [expletive] music”.
Afterwards, the VC told the courtroom, he was speaking with a woman called “Shirley”, who subsequently shouted: “Anil, run! Boy coming with a cutlass!”
He said that he did not run at the said time, but when he turned around, he saw “Boy” swinging the cutlass. Prasad noted that after he was chopped to the right side of his head, he used his hand to block the accused and was dealt a chop to his hand.
“”Boy” continued to broadside me even when I fell to the ground on my back,” he noted.
The VC added that he lost consciousness and only regained his senses at the Georgetown Public Hospital. He said that he was hospitalised until October 4, 2011 with regular check-ups after. He added that he also had surgery six months after to fit three pieces of his skull that were preserved in his stomach back into place. He noted that swelling in his head had prevented doctors from immediately conducting the corrective procedure.
Under cross-examination by Boodram’s lawyer, George Thomas, Prasad admitted that he became angry when the accused did not want to turn down his music. He, however, maintained that he did not attack Boodram.
State Prosecutors Abigail Gibbs, Tiffini Lyken and Abigail Gibbs are appearing for the State.