Witness subpoenaed to attend court

Prosecuting attorney Kathy Ann Waterman Latchoo informed Justice Devan Rampersad that all efforts to have the witness attend court had failed.

Ian Palmer Williams, 72, a US-based businessman who was born in Trinidad, is on trial facing two counts of motor manslaughter and is accused of causing the deaths of Dalton Raymond, 75, and his son Christopher on February 20, 2002.

Father and son were knocked down near the Beetham dump during the early morning hours of February 20, 2002.

Retired police Cpl Steve Bedeau yesterday gave evidence and told the court he met with the accused shortly after the accident only to be told by Palmer that he did not know anything about the incident.

"He said he did not know anything about the accident to which I was referring to. He said the car, a Nissan B13 Sentra which was parked in the yard of the police Traffic Branch, was a car which was loaned to him by a relative to use during his stay in Trinidad," Bedeau told the court.

"I told him it was suspected the vehicle was involved in an accident in which two people died and he again told me he did know anything about that and that he was not there," Bedeau added. He stated that after he and Palmer visited the scene of the accident, they went back to the police Traffic Branch where a statement was recorded from the accused.

According to Palmer’s statement, on the night before the incident, he went to Cosmos Men’s Club at Abercromby Street, Port-of-Spain, and then went to the Attic Pub in Maraval.

"When I left there, I was on my way to where I was staying in Powder Magazine, Cocorite. While in that area, my vehicle shut down. When I started again and I was driving, I felt an impact on my vehicle. It had to be the front, but I did not know what struck the vehicle. I got home and parked my vehicle," Palmer’s statement read.

"I had no reason to be in that area where I was told the accident occurred because I live in the West. I do not have anything more to say about the accident Mr Bedeau is talking about."

Under cross-examination by Palmer’s attorney Desmond Allum SC, the retired officer denied reconstructing the statement which was given by the accused. Hearing resumes today.