Cop tells court

THE POLICE officer who shot a murder accused in his face to defend himself from a knife attack, yesterday gave evidence against the accused man.

PC Vaughn Waldropt said the murder accused Paul Cox, lunged at him and his colleague in a ditch behind a cow pen at Farm Road, Turure in Sangre Grande on May 23, 2003.

Waldropt said he shot Cox in the face and the injured man fell, attempted to get up, then crawled to the dead body of his girlfriend Dedrie-Ann Layne and embraced her.

Cox is before Madame Justice Joan Charles at the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court charged with Layne’s murder.

According to Waldropt, he arrived at the scene shortly before the attack and had seen the bodies of Cox and Layne lying in the ditch. There was an injury to Layne’s throat and Cox had a knife stuck in his throat. Blood was oozing out of the wound, Waldropt said.

He said they attempted to get information from the accused but he did not respond. Shortly after, the officer testified, he heard Cox shout and saw him holding Layne’s hand. He then let go of her hand, pulled the knife out of his throat and attacked.

The accused was later taken to the hospital for medical attention. Cox is being defended by attorney Oscar King, while State attorney Cheron Raphael is prosecuting. Hearing resumes on Monday.