JUDGE TELLS JURY: FORGET THE TEARS

HIGH COURT Judge Carlton Best yesterday warned a jury not to factor sympathy into their deliberations, after the mother of murdered teenager Aneisha Neptune broke down and started to cry in the witness box. The warning came following a request made by defence attorney SC Israel Khan, during the evidence of Mary Molly Neptune in the trial into the  shooting death of the Diego Martin teenager by a Special Reserve Police officer outside the Four Roads Police Station. SRP constable Nicholas Leith, 45, of Broome Street, Diego Martin is before Justice Best in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of 17-year-old Aneisha on May 1, 2000.

Mary Molly Neptune, mother of the deceased Aneisha Neptune, became emotional during her testimony, pointed to Leith and began shouting “that man killed my daughter, that man killed my daughter.” After Khan accused her of being responsible for Aneisha’s death, the distraught woman clung to a picture of Aneisha saying: “I carry my child for nine months, feel pain to make the child and mine (support) that child for 17-years to kill my child. Is that man who kill my child.” Mary Molly testified that she, Aneisha and son Robert went to the Four Roads Police Station to find out about her son Simon. She said they left the station and Aneisha went to make a phone call. Leith came up to them identified himself as a police officer and told Aneisha she was under arrest for using obscene language. He grabbed Aneisha’s hand and she (Mary Molly) grabbed Leith’s hand causing Aneisha to free herself and run over to the Diego Martin Main Road.

Leith, who was blocking her (Mary Molly) view, stretched out his hand in front of him. She heard “pow,” and saw Aneisha hold her side and say “Oh God” then go down. She went to her daughter and told Leith “is just so you come and shoot meh child.” He did not say anything and remained with his hand outstretched and his “eyes open big.” She also stated she was arrested, at Leith’s request and handcuffed and dragged to the police station by two police officers. She also said that she ‘passed out’ twice and regained consciousness in the hospital. Mary Molly told the court that the area where the incident occurred was well lit with lights from the halfway house, the fire station, the Police Station, a house behind the calabash tree and the street lights on the roadway. Under cross examination by Khan, Mary Molly made several statements that were challenged by Khan.
The matter continues today.