“I had a spoon…I just jook he” – caution statement

Five Star Backdam killing

As the High Court trial of Marlon Marion Freeman continued on Monday, Police Detective Corporal Bryan James was called to the stand and testified that he penned the caution statement of the accused, who allegedly admitted to killing miner Timothy Adams at Turtle Creek, Five Star Backdam, North West District (NWD) on December 22, 2013.

Adams met his demise while en route to a mining camp, but Freeman has since denied that he was responsible for the killing
In court on Monday, Corporal James claimed that the defendant detailed another story to him under caution. He reportedly claimed that Freeman might have killed Adams because he thought the miner was going to pull a gun after he confronted him over money that was owed to him. According to the Policeman, he administered the caution statement on December 25, 2013 in the presence of then Police Constable Zane Williams, who signed to witnessing the exercise which took place from 14:00h to 14:40h.
James informed the 12-member mixed jury that Freeman had indicated that 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 passed, he was only paid $30,000. He had enquired from Blacks about his money and some time 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 evidence from 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 left the scene. He also claimed that the gold he later gave a female was not taken from the deceased, but it was gold that he had in his possession.
Corporal James later testified that when he administered the statement, he had informed the accused of his rights, saying that he told him he could have a lawyer, friends or relatives present. The Policeman added that at no time was violence used on Freeman, nor was he threatened or offered $250,000 bail to give his statement.
Former Police Constable Williams, who witnessed Freeman giving the caution statement, testified earlier during Monday’s trial. He claimed that Freeman looked at the statement at 14:40h and appeared to be reading it. Under intense cross-examination by the defendant’s lawyer, Folio Richards, Williams said that he was not aware that Freeman had been tied up for nine-and-a-half hours on December 24, 2013, one day prior to him allegedly giving the caution statement. The former Policeman who said he did not threaten the defendant also denied Richards’ suggestion that he and Detective James refused to give Freeman something to eat even though he had cried out for food.
“You took advantage of the accused’s inability to read and write,” the lawyer contended, to which Williams replied: “No, Ma’am.”
At last Thursday’s trial, Medex Colleen Edgillo testified that she had pronounced Adams ‘dead before arrival at the Pakera Hospital’ at Matthews Ridge, NWD, after examining the man and finding that he was lifeless and had no heartbeat. Edgillo had recalled seeing a deep puncture wound to the right side of Adams’ neck and a laceration to the left side of his head.
State Counsels Lisa Cave and Mandell Moore are presenting the prosecution’s case in the trial, which continues before Justice James Bovell-Drakes. (Shemuel Fanfair)