Murder trial in the rain

by Gyasi Gonzales

September 25th 1996

On July 31, 1987, Anthony Ward was shot to death on the Lady Young Road, Morvant.

Yesterday morning, three brothers who are accused of the killing were taken handcuffed to the scene of the crime where Mr Justice Stanley John conducted open air court with the jury, prosecutors and defence attorneys present.

The court went to the Lady Young Road in a convoy of cars and a maxi taxi. As they alighted from the vehicles, there was a roll call of the jury and the hearing began. Traffic was halted for about 15 minutes on the Lady Young Road as two witnesses were questioned there.

Under overcast skies and humid conditions, the three accused – Curtis Charles, Steve Carter and Leroy carter heard four witnesses place them at the scene of the shooting that day.

The State prosecutor, Reynold Waldropt had requested that the jury see at first hand exactly where it is alleged the killing took place. The first witness called was Sharon Gorkin who pointed out the house on Chaconia Avenue where she said she first saw the deceased Ward that day. She led the judge, jurors and attorneys down a nearby path leading from Chaconia Avenue to the Lady Young Road where she said the three accused pursued Ward. She also said she saw one of the accused, Steve Carter, pull a gun and point it in the direction of Ward. She said she heard an explosion.

The second witness to give evidence was Ivan Gonzalez, a taxi driver, who said he stopped his car to pick up a passenger, (Ward). Ward entered a car and then he heard an explosion. He saw two men, one with a gun which was partly hidden in a brown paper bag but with the barrel sticking out. After the man got into the taxi, and he had driven about 275 feet, a female passenger spoke to him, and he stopped the car.

The court then moved from the Lady Young Road to a dirt track where the third witness, Cheryl Weekes gave evidence. She was in her house, she said, when she saw people gathering and she joined them. She went through the track where she heard accused number 1, Curtis Charles saying “anybody open they f***** mouth they go feel it.”

The fourth witness was Wilfred McDowell, who also pointed out the track where the deceased Ward handed him a brown paper bag which he (McDowell) left in a nearby parlour. He then saw Ward turn left going further up Chaconia Avenue. Two minutes later he saw ward run past him through the track.

He saw the accused No 1 and accused No 3 running behind ward and then accused No 2 came around a house and joined in pursuit of Ward. Shortly after he heard an explosion. He told the court one of the accused came through the track and on seeing him stated: “anybody open they f***** mouth they go feel it.”

Afterwards Mr Justice John and members of the court returned to the Port-of-Spain Third Assizes where they went over the evidence taken at Morvant, after which the state closed its case.

Under examination by defence attorney Bindra Dolsingh, one of the accused Leroy Carter testified that between March and April 1987 there was an incident between Anthony Ward and Curtis Charles, which led to the shooting of Charles by Ward.

He also testified came another day and made threats.

Leroy Carter also stated that ward on that day pulled out a gun and shot another man Anthony Hadaway.

The trial was adjourned to 2:45pm and will resume today with the cross examination of Leroy Carter by the State Prosecutor.

 

Taken from: Newsday Newspapers