Lawyer attacks witness over Bible

DEFENCE attorney Joseph Melville was yesterday accused of attacking the constitutional right of a witness of a Christian persuasion, who opted to make an affirmation rather than swear by the holy Bible when he was called to the witness stand. The accusation was made by police prosecutor Acting Insp Kenneth Cordner, who was holding on for State attorney, Natasha George. 

State witness Otumba Snaggs of Pashley Street, Laventille, was being cross-examined by Melville at the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Eighth Court before Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the preliminary inquiry into the charges laid against Nigel “Dufo” Mayers, Akeido Mayers and Jimmy “Shabaaz” Bournes for the April 22 murder of 22-year-old Andre Linsey. Melville, who insisted that the evidence given by Snaggs was fabricated, asked the witness if the reason why he had chosen not to swear by the Bible and instead make an affirmation was because he felt “the Bible was too high a standard by which to swear because of the lies,” causing Cordner to raise an objection. It was the witness’ constitutional right, said the prosecutor, to swear or make an affirmation if he chose to. Mc Nicoll ruled in favour of the prosecution.

Snaggs, who was allegedly supposed to be the target of last Tuesday’s shooting at the basketball court in Laventille, carefully thought about the questions asked by Melville before responding, causing the defence attorney to say, “The reason why you’re hedging is because you’re lying.”  The matter was adjourned to December 11.