Attorney loses cool with witness

STATE witness Shawn Parris was yesterday described as a “monster” by defence attorney Prakash Ramadhar at yesterday’s hearing of the preliminary inquiry into the murder of Dr Chandra Naraynsingh. But Deputy Magistrate Mark Wellington who ruled that he would not tolerate such description of a witness, responded: “No! No! Mr Ramadhar.” Parris, the man who shot Chandra Naraynsingh five times at the Langmore Health Foundation in Palmyra Village on June 26, 1994, and who was facing the fifth day of cross-examination in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court, quickly shot back at Ramadhar: “Let’s not get mad. Calm down.” The problem started when Ramadhar, who is representing Seromanie Maharaj-Naraynsingh, wife of Prof  Vijay Naraynsingh said, “What is this? You want to take me off this case?

We want to get serious here?” Then, responding to another answer to a question posed by Ramadhar, the defence attorney shouted to Parris: “You are an unadulterated liar!” Parris replied: “Let’s not get mad. Calm down.” As the cross-talk continued between Ramadhar and Parris, the attorney called on Wellington to urge Parris to conduct himself. In response to one of Parris’ answers, Ramadhar asked the magistrate: “Will you condone him (Parris) giving that answer?” The magistrate took offence to Ramadhar’s remark, saying,  “I find that offensive, disgusting and distasteful. You are making certain remarks that suggest I am in cohort with the prosecution.” At another point in yesterday’s proceedings, Ramadhar told Parris: “You are a monster and other things. You’re evil.” Hearing continues next week Friday.