Brothers freed of murder

TWO BROTHERS were freed of murder yesterday afternoon after the main prosecution witness said he did not see the killing. Marlon “Roti” Harewood and his brother Keston, of Eastern Quarry, Laventille, were discharged by Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court.
They were charged with the murder of Maximilan Spencer at Eastern Quarry, on December 5, 2005. Spencer was shot several times, according to a post-mortem examination. Five witnesses testified for the prosecution. One of them was Jimmy Barnett, the cousin of the two brothers.
He went into the witness box yesterday and said he did not witness the killing of Spencer. He said at the time of the killing, he was asleep at home. This was contrary to a statutory declaration he gave to the police the day after the killing — December 6, 2005. When questioned about this document yesterday, Barnett said he could not read or write. He said he was forced to sign the statement by the police. He denied any knowledge of the killing, insisting that he was at home.
The final witness to testify was Corporal Michael Veronique of the Homicide Bureau. Veronique was the officer who charged the two brothers. His evidence lasted just three minutes. At the close of the prosecution’s case, defence attorney Ian Brooks did not have time to make a no-case submission. Mc Nicolls ruled right away. He said that no prima facie case had been made out against the two accused and he discharged them.
Two hours later, the brothers left the Port-of-Spain Magistrates’ Court with their relatives. Special prosecutor was Marlon Sambucharan