A 12-member jury which has heard Basil Morgan’s High Court trial is expected to return a verdict on Friday. Deliberations will proceed after presiding Judge, James Bovell-Drakes sums up the matter in the morning session. The case has been
Murder accused: Basil Morgan
ongoing for the last three weeks.
Morgan is accused of murdering Woddet “Buck Man” Roberts, who was killed during the course of a robbery between November 3 and November 4, 2009, along the Linden/Soesdyke Highway. Roberts died from asphyxiation the court was told. Reports are several gang members had tied up Roberts and other occupants of a Toyota Tacoma before they stole it and made their way to Georgetown, where other crimes were committed. Morgan was believed to have been part of the gang, which carried out several terror-related crimes including setting fire to the Supreme Court of Judicature’s Registry department.
Morgan’s defence attorney, Lyndon Amsterdam and State Prosecutor Tuana Hardy made passionate closing arguments before the jury. Amsterdam reminded the 12 members of the jury that Police never stated where Roberts had actually died. The attorney also highlighted that there were gaps in the evidence, suggesting that the post-mortem examination (PME) was inconclusive.
He further encouraged the jury to carefully address the evidence provided by the prosecution, which according to Amsterdam, had “failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt” that Morgan was indeed responsible for Roberts’ killing. The Prosecutor however maintained that the jury should find the defendant guilty of the crime for which he is indicted. It was late last week that Prosecutor Hardy closed the State’s case.
Though Morgan denied being responsible for Woddet’s murder, other members of the alleged gang have admitted to their terror-related crimes. These include David Anthony Watson, called “Tupac”; Randy Mars, known as “Ratty”; and Jafar Simpson, who were all sentenced to 19 years imprisonment in April after pleading guilty to manslaughter for Roberts’ killing. They were additionally sentenced for other terror-related crimes.
Meanwhile, gang leader Colin Jones admitted guilt for the 2009 terror acts and was sentenced to 80 years imprisonment for the offences he inflicted between 2009 and 2010. The summing up of the case will commence on Friday at 09:00h.
