On the night Cooper was killed....

This was confirmed yesterday by Supt Orson Barman after perusing records of the prison now in his custody.

Barman told the court that effective July 1 this year, he has been in charge of the administrative and operational functions at Golden Grove. He is also the custodian of all records of the prison as well as the person in charge of the infirmary at the jail.

Barman said he perused the Prison Supervisor Occurrence Book for the day June 25, 2001. There were several prison officers rostered for the night shift, including the accused Ramdial and Griffith. Ramdial, he added, was the officer in charge of that shift.

Barman also revealed that there was a book — the Gate Occurrence Book — which details the time when prison officers arrive at the prison.

On that day, Barman said Ramdial arrived at the prison at 8.37 pm and Griffith at 7.41 pm. Questioned by State attorney Kathy-Ann Waterman-Latchoo, Barman said when officers arrive for a shift, the one in charge inspects them, and once they are fit, that person in charge will detail and roster them. In the event of an emergency, the officer in charge will have an "emergency sealed packet." Barman said there was also the Prisoners’ Allocation Book detailing where prisoners are kept on any particular day.

Barman also revealed that prison officers carry what he called a "night stick" or a baton which he identified in court. Under cross-examination by Prakash Ramadhar, Barman said the records at the prison do not show that Ramdial was on duty at 6 pm on June 25, 2001. Questioned about the infirmary, Barman said he did not access information about the records of the medical facility. He said no police officer asked him about the infirmary, neither was he aware that Cooper was treated at the infirmary on that day. "This is the first time I am hearing about that," Barman said.

Barman added he was never asked by anyone about who was on duty before the 9 pm shift, neither did he make an enquiry. He said he never took part in the investigation into Cooper’s death.

The first time he became involved in the case was on July 1 this year.

Under cross-examination by Gilbert Petersen SC, Barman said he did not know a prison officer named Dane George. But he changed that line when he was told that George was originally charged with Cooper’s murder, but was acquitted after the Director of Public Prosecutions discontinued the indictment against the officer.

Barman told the court that the prison was locked down at 9 pm. He pointed out that all prisoners were locked in their cells. As far as he was concerned, there was no emergency at the prison that night. If there was, the officer in charge would have contacted the supervisor in the dormitory.

Ex-prisoner Barry Moore Briggs was back in the box yesterday. Briggs, who has been testifying since Tuesday, gave four reasons for testifying in the trial.

"What I saw happened to Anton Cooper was wrong; it was my civic duty to come forward to say what happened in prison; what happened was in contravention of Chapter 11 No 7 of the Prisons Act; and I want the public to know what was happening in prison."

Briggs said no one encouraged him to read the Prisons Act. "While in prison, you must educate yourself, so nobody will take advantage of you."

Briggs said that on the night of June 25, 2001, he saw Cooper in front of his cell with an orderly and two officers. He denied that the orderly’s name was Victor Flores, he knew it as "Sa Sa Ye." He said he knew Flores and remembered seeing him earlier that day. He knew Flores was sleeping in two different areas of the Remand Yard.

Under cross-examination by Petersen, Briggs said he knew that a third prison officer was charged with Cooper’s murder. He said he knew that he was committed to stand trial, but the DPP discontinued proceedings against him.

He identified that prison officer to be Dane George. He could not recall seeing George that night, but saw him in the dock in the Magistrates’ Court charged with murder.

During further cross-examination, Briggs said he was quite sure he saw accused Griffith beating Cooper that night.

Hearing resumes before Justice Malcolm Holdip on Monday morning.