Mom to cop: ‘You shoot my daughter!’

DIEGO MARTIN teenager Aneisha Neptune was shot and killed by a Special Reserve Police Officer minutes after being told that she was being arrested for using obscene language, according to State attorney Alexander Prince. Prince, who was presenting the facts in the case to the court, also explained that when Aneisha’s mother Mary Molly saw her daughter lying on the Diego Martin roadway, she yelled out to the officer, “Officer, you shoot my daughter!” These were just some of the details given by Prince in his opening statement in the matter in which SRP Nicholas Leith, 43, of Broome Street, Four Roads, Diego Martin, is before Justice Carlton Best charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of Aneisha Neptune outside the Four Roads Police Station on May 1, 2000. Aneisha, 17, was pronounced dead on arrival at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital.

Prince yesterday explained to the nine member jury and two alternates, that on May 1, 2000, Aneisha, her mother Mary Molly and brother Robert went to the  Four Roads Police Station to inquire whether Aneisha’s other brother Simon was being held there. They left and returned around 10.10 pm but they were not allowed to see him. They went out to the Diego Martin Main Road, then to Morne Coco Road. Aneisha went to the gas station to change some money and Mary Molly observed Leith leaving the station.

Leith and Mary had a confrontation after which he walked over to a phone booth where Aneisha was making a call, took out a book and told her that she was under arrest for obscene language. Leith held on to Aneisha and a confrontation occurred during which Aneisha pulled away and ran to the other side of the telephone booth. A loud explosion rang out and Aneisha bawled out “Oh God,” while Mary bawled out, “Officer you shoot my daughter!” Aneisha fell to the ground and Mary Molly, who had known Leith for over 17 years, went to assist.  Two officers from the Four Roads Station arrived at the scene and Leith told the officers to arrest Mary Molly. She was taken to the Four Roads Police Station and later to the PoS General Hospital.

Aneisha was also taken to the PoS General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy was conducted on May 2, and the report revealed that Aneisha’s death was due to a gunshot wound. The bullet which was recovered was said to have been fired from Leith’s gun. As the matter began, three witnesses —Kathy-Ann Neptune, PC Richard Blayne and Lester Wharton — testified before High Court Judge Carlton Best in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court. The matter will continue today. State attorney Jerron Joseph is assisting Prince with the matter, while defence attorneys Ulric Skerritt and SC Israel Khan are representing Leith.