Defence Claims Klansman Witnesses as Liars

The presiding judge in the Klansman gang trial began court today with a preamble on how evidence elicited from the witness in some instances did not corroborate with the witness’s initial police statements. Against this background, he advised the attorneys to ensure the witness responses stay in line.

The cross-examination of the first and second witnesses were done by the attorneys for the defendants which sought to challenge the memory of the witnesses. The Klansman witnesses’ ability to recall was called into question on Thursday, November 11, by defense attorneys in cross-examinations in the one don/ Klansman gang trial. The day’s proceedings began with a cross-examination of the crown’s first witness who claims to have been the banker of the gang.

He was asked to clarify the events leading up to an attack in “Fisheries” St. Catherine as outlined in his statement to the police. The witness recounted that it started in Miss Tom’s yard on Jones Avenue late into the night. The witness had just “run the road” to make sure that no police were in the area and upon his return, saw alleged gang leader Andre Bryan with other gang members including defendant Dillon Mclean, also called Dillon who allegedly held a gun.

He also saw bottle booms, Molotov cocktail bombs made from glass bottles filled with sand, gasoline, and wick. The target for murder being a “top shooter “ for rival leader Tesha Miller. The driver did not bear witness to the incident but said he heard a gunshot- like explosions from fisheries.

The witness also said that he heard Blackman say he wanted to kill someone at fisheries but the defense made reference to the initial police statement where the witness claimed that Blackman intended to kill, but did not hear Blackman say that for himself. The defense claimed that Blackman wanting to kill was a matter of the witness’s opinion. To this, the witness said he was not a mind reader but was sure the order came from Bryan.

After the first break, the cross-examination for the 2nd witness began. The respective attorneys for Kevaughn Green, Daniel McKenzie, and Kimani Bryce asserted that the defendants were not a part of the alleged gang. The witness was clearly entertained, smiling under his mask as defense attorneys tore into his character, exclaiming that he was lying and incapable of telling the truth and seemingly is suffering from amnesia.

One attorney pointed to the many illicit affairs the witness admitted to having while married. Illustrating a pattern of dishonesty in the witness. The witness said that though “that was his thing, he did come clean to his wife after having a child outside of the marriage”.

He maintained that he was truthful; only spoke about what he knew and that the defendants he pointed out were in fact members of the gang.

More in this CVM Live story from Jhanielle Powell: