News

Elderly woman heard men crying for help

By BARBARA GAYLE, Staff Reporter

A 62-YEAR-OLD woman testified yesterday that she heard gunshots and men inside a house in Braeton, St. Catherine bawling "Whoa, whoa, help, Mr. Corpie help me."

The witness said at the time of the shooting, she was in her living room. She said she was about 20 feet away from the house in which the men were shouting for help.

She said the incident took place between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on March 14, 2001.

The witness was testifying for the Crown at the trial of six policemen charged with the murder of seven young men.

The Crown is alleging at the trial in the Home Circuit Court that the policemen were not acting in lawful self defence when the men were fatally shot in a house at 1088 Fifth Seal Way, Braeton, St. Catherine.

Heard bawling

In her testimony, the witness said she was making her tea when she heard gunfire coming from the right side of her house towards the back. After the gunfire, she said she heard crying and someone 'bawling' "whoa, whoa". She heard more shots and heard screaming. She said there was a lot of noise and people crying.

She said she opened her back door slightly to ascertain where the noise was coming from. It was coming from 1088 Fifth Seal Way. She said she closed back the door because gunshots were still being fired.

She said she continued hearing the guys crying "Whoa, whoa, help me, Mr. Corpie help me." Corpie was a man who jerked chicken in front of 1088 Fifth Seal Way.

The elderly witness said she heard voices bawling, "Lord help me, murder, whoa."

She said she heard more shots being fired and they eventually stopped just before she heard the sounds of things being broken in the house.

When she heard the last set of shooting and screaming it was still dark, the witness said. She looked out to see if anyone was on the street but did not see anyone.

When it became daylight, she said she went out and looked over 1088 Fifth Seal Way where she saw several policemen and recognised one of them to be Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams.

She said SSP Adams was at the back of the house which was behind her own.

The witness will be further cross-examined when the trial is resumed this morning before Mr. Justice Donald McIntosh and the 12-member jury.