Star witness in murder trial admits to lying

STAR WITNESS in the murder trial of Glenroy London, Byron Vespry, admitted yesterday that he lied to police when he stated he was unaware of a plan by his fellow gang members to kill murder victim Clifford Mark.

Vespry admitted also to the jury that not only did he know of the plan to kill Mark if he (Mark) did not hand over cocaine to them, but he (Vespry) agreed with the course of action. Last Thursday, Vespry testified that he was among the gang of four who beat and strangled Mark in Cedros over two years ago, but turned  prosecution witness after accepting an offer of immunity by police. Vespry fingered London, 43, a labourer of Point Ligoure, as the main participant of the gang who beat and strangled Mark in a juniper patch. London is currently on trial in the First Criminal Court of the San Fernando Assizes before Justice Melville Baird and a 12-member jury.

During a lengthy cross-examination by London’s defence attorney Ian Stuart Brook yesterday, the star witness said when police picked him up as a suspect in the murder he did not feel frightened or scared, and could not remember when he  was offered immunity. In referring to the six statements Vesprey gave to the police, Brook referred to one given on December 1, 2000, when the witness stated : “I never went to kill anyone. I just thought they’d take the cocaine”. Brook asked the witness: “You expected they would kill Clifford if cocaine was not handed over”? Vespry replied: “Yes”. “So that was not true based on what you told the jury”? Brook asked. “Yes”, Vespry replied. Brook questioned: “So you told police a lie on December 1, 2000”? Vespry answered: “Yes sir”.

Vespry also revealed that a man named Raymond was the one who suggested taking the cocaine from Mark, and that he was among the gang who met at the Cedros Fishing Complex two days before Mark died. Brook also accused the witness of trying to protect Raymond, who was his friend for five years when he testified that Raymond was not present when the gang went “to do the mission”. Brook asked: “Are you telling the jury that he just disappeared after suggesting the work”? Vespry replied: “Yes sir”. The case continues today.