State Witness Doesn't Show; Niggers Go Free

TWO MEN charged with
killing Oba Jones on the Brian Lara Promenade in Port-of-Spain, were
yesterday freed by a judge who in making his ruling, lamented: “There
is rank criminality in the bowels of the unemployment relief program.”

An
overjoyed Aaron Worrel raised his arms as he celebrated his freedom
with friends who waited to pick him up in a car outside the Hall of
Justice following the ruling. Former co-accused Kareem Baptiste was
more subdued.

The two were discharged by Justice Anthony Carmona in the
Port-of-Spain Fourth Assizes after no witnesses came forward to state
the prosecution’s case.

The State’s star witness — Kelly Denoon, known in the underworld as
“Machine gun Kelly”, was gunned down at Foster Road in John John,
Laventille on December 4 – two days before he was to testify. Another
witness, Marvin Subratee has refused to testify and could not be
located.

Jones was gunned down on the Promenade on April 21, 2005. From the
start, the State’s case against Baptiste and Worrel was crippled by a
lack of witnesses and Denoon’s murder.

On December 2, 2006, State attorney Cathy-Ann Waterman lamented to
a judge that “without witnesses, it would be difficult to proceed
against Baptiste and Worrel.”

Yesterday, the State was represented by Nalini Singh and Jennifer
Martin while Hayden St Clair Douglas and John Heath represented both
accused.

In his closing statements, Justice Carmona lamented: “The URP
serves a purpose but based on the matters coming before me within the
last 18 months, I can tell you, in the bowels of the URP there is rank
criminality and the authorities need to address this.

“I can tell you this particular matter involved individuals working
in the URP and I have had to deal with two other brutal murders
involving a URP foreman. Not only I, but my brothers have made the same
observation, time and time again. And further, the stark reality is
that a generation of young men is dying.”

The prosecution attempted to rely on Denoon’s deposition but
submitted that they were unable to proceed since the deposition had too
many inconsistencies. In speaking directly to the defence, Justice
Carmona, clearly moved by the situation said: “I can tell you the
justice system is under siege and barbarians are at the gates. Last
week I asked the jury to discharge inclusive of these two men, as I
will be doing, six men. And when I say the system is under siege I am
not only referring to witness intimidation but witnesses who refuse to
testify.”

Justice Carmona then instructed the jury to return a formal verdict
of not guilty. Following the verdict the outspoken judge turned his
attention to both Worrel and Baptiste, saying: “Mr Baptiste, Mr Worrel,
I just wish to leave with you certain words, in the hope that somehow
somewhere, you all are shackled by your conscience, because I am of the
firm view that everybody and every man is salvageable and people can
change.” Baptiste and Worrel hid their faces as they exited the Hall of
Justice.