Senior Superintendent of Police, Reneto Adams, waves to supporters as he made his way to court on Monday for the start of his trial. - NORMAN GRINDLEY/DEPUTY CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
THE TRIAL of Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams and the five policemen charged with murder entered its third day yesterday with a policeman testifying that he was interviewed by detectives from Scotland Yard.
He said the interview was in connection with the incident at Kraal, Clarendon, in which four civilians were fatally shot on May 7, 2003.
Detective Corporal Franklin Brown said when he went to the Commissioner's Office for the interview he told Scotland Yard detectives that Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams did not interfere with his investigations.
Detective Brown, who was being cross-examined by Adams' lawyer, K. Churchill Neita, Q.C., said when he said SSP Adams did not interfere with his investigations he was speaking "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth."
He pointed to a detective from Scotland Yard who was in the courtroom and said he was one of the policemen who was present when he gave a statement.
Defence lawyers objected to Detective Constable Mark Baldry being in court. The lawyers said they were concerned about Detective Baldry and his investigation in the case.
REQUEST TO LEAVE
The lawyers requested that he should leave the court and Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe granted the request. Detective Baldry then left the courtroom.
Kent Pantry, Q.C., the Director of Public Prosecutions, said he was not aware that Detective Baldry had played any role in the investigation.
On trial with SSP Adams are Corporal Patrick Coke, Constables Devon Bernard, Shane Lyons, Roderick Collier and Leford Gordon.
They are charged with the murder of Lowena Thompson, Angella Richards, Matthew James and Kirk Gordon.
The Crown is alleging that the policemen were not acting in self-defence when the civilians were fatally shot. The trial continues today in the Home Circuit Court.
