Accused chooses silence in court

After prosecutor Cheron Raphael closed the State’s case against Paul Cox of Coal Mine, Sangre Grande, the accused told the court he would remain silent. Cox is before Madame Justice Joan Charles at the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court charged with the murder of Dedrie-Ann Layne.

Layne’s body was found in a ditch at the back of a cow pen on the evening of May 23, 2003. A post-mortem report revealed two wounds to her throat and defensive wounds on her outer and inner wrists.

In his closing address to the jury, Cox’s attorney Oscar King said there was something suspicious surrounding the circumstances under which his client was shot in the face.

He also said there were several inconsistencies in the evidence of some of the 20 witnesses called by the State. The last State witness, Sherwin Vidal yesterday testified that he saw the accused make two attempts to commit suicide on the evening, on which he allegedly murdered his girlfriend.

Madame Justice Charles will direct the 12-member panel on May 18.