‘My gun could have been defective’

A KEY State witness in the Barataria murder trial yesterday accepted that his nine millimetre Smith and Wesson pistol he had bought for protection could have been defective since it accidentally went off when he pushed his hand in his pocket to move the safety clip. Komo Nigel George also accepted a suggestion by defence attorney Osbourne Charles SC that he was “so good” and experienced in firing a gun  that he knew a gun had gone off some distance away from him, but ironically did not know that the nine millimetre  in his pocket had accidentally gone off. George was testifying in the murder trial of Garvin Sookram aka “Bean,” John Wayne Alleyne aka “Bumbles,” Junior Sookram aka “Country,” Hassan Sanchez and Ronald Gaskin aka “Doom.”

The men are before Justice Rajendra Narine in the Port-of-Spain First Criminal Court charged with  murdering Roger Alexander on August 19, 2000 at Saw Mill Avenue in Barataria. Alexander aka “One Arm,” a father of one, was shot in the back four times. George further accepted that when his gun went off it would have made a loud noise, gave a “tremendous kick” from the barrel, and discharged a missile, but in spite of all these things he insisted that he did not know the gun went off while he was liming on Garrick Street, Barataria, on the night his friend Alexander was killed. The trial was not without some tempo yesterday, as attorneys from both sides indulged in some warm exchange of words as they dealt with the issue of disclosure pertaining to a statement given to the police by George.  Defence attorney Margaret Rose claimed that all defence attorneys had made applications for full disclosure at the start of the trial but this statement was not given to them.

The statement surfaced yesterday as Senior Counsel  Pamela Elder wound up her cross-examination. She selected an item from the statement to show an inconsistency in George’s recent testimony. When Charles indicated that he would like to use the statement at some time in his cross-examination, Justice Narine indicated that he would not allow attorneys to use the statement ad lib, unless they need to show inconsistency on a particular issue. He suggested that if attorneys wanted the statement they should have made an application for disclosure. This was when Rose indicated that they had made the application. Former deputy DPP Rangee Dolsingh SC who is prosecuting the case indicated his reluctance in handing over the statement. 

Justice Narine then suggested that the defence make an application, which they did,  and after considering it he allowed them to have the statement. Dolsingh who leads senior prosecutor Jeron Joseph, noted that “they” (attorneys) are like boxers in a ring, knocking each other brains out, and kissing and making-up after.” In response to Charles, George made it clear that the statements “who fire that shot” and “who bust that shot” mean the same thing, alluding that it was not contradictory as Charles was suggesting.

George admitted that he had a previous conviction for shooting with intent, and the gun he used in that incident he had borrowed  and not purchased as was the case with his nine millimetre pistol. Elder and  Owen Hinds Jr are defending  Garvin Sookram,  Charles and Elvis O’Connor are for John Wayne Alleyne, Sean Cazabon and Dawn Mohan are representing Junior Sookram, Keith Scotland and Michelle Solomon are representing Hassan Sanchez and Margaret Rose and Richard Mason are for  Ronald Gaskin. When hearing continues today Charles will continue his cross-examination.