Jury visits scene of Laventille crime in wet and muggy conditions

From the comfort of an air-conditioned courtroom to an open-air venue made muddy by early morning rains under  overcast skies, the Port of Spain First Criminal Court shifted hearing yesterday to the scene of the crime at the Leon Street, Laventille apartment where Lester Ash was killed Christmas Day, 2000.

Kevon Nurse, 25, the man accused of shooting Ash to death in his apartment, was also on hand to witness the proceedings of the court. The difference was, on his return to the scene he was in handcuffs and escorted by three uniformed police officers. By 9.42 am the weather had cleared enough to permit the Court to visit the scene of the crime for about an hour. There was heavy police presence. The jury travelled in a yellow-band maxi, while the judge, attorneys and witnesses were taken in cars. While the heavy cirrus clouds backed off  to permit some degree of sunshine, conditions generally remained sweaty and muggy. The rain had stopped but one was still faced with skipping puddles of water around the building.

Curious neighbours came out on their porches on the upper floors, while others shifted their curtains and peeked out. Others who lived in the vicinity of the building also came out to watch the proceedings.  Most of the young men who came out of their homes to watch were camera-shy. As the camera was pointed in their direction, they either covered their heads, or turned their backs and strolled away. Trial judge, Justice Paula Mae-Weekes, attorneys — prosecuting and defence — and members of the jury heard on-the-spot evidence from witnesses who at times pointed out directions, indicating point of entry and exit of the alleged gunman. The small apartment on the ground floor of the three-storey apartment structure where Ash was supposed to have met his death was pointed out by a 14-year-old neighbour of the accused, Aneka Shockness, who is the State’s key witness.

Responding to questions put to her by Prosecutor Wayne Rajbansee, Shockness repeated some of her evidence which she gave earlier in court — how she saw Nurse put a mask over his head and enter Ash’s apartment with a silver object in his hand. Later, there were explosions that sounded like gunshots in the apartment. Nurse, the court heard, was also seen leaving the apartment with the mask over his head. On the spot, the witness Shockness was also asked a few questions by defence attorneys. Another witness, Dexter Simmons, said he saw a masked man enter and leave Ash’s apartment. After scoping the apartment and its immediate vicinity for just about an hour, the cops got into their jeeps, the judge and attorneys in their cars and the jurors in their maxi for the return trip to the Hall of Justice in Port of Spain. The intention was to hear evidence from one more witness, but since the witness arrived late, further hearing was adjourned to Monday morning.