Case goes to jury tomorrow

AFTER seven weeks of evidence in the Cascade triple murder trial, the jury is expected to return a verdict tomorrow, following Justice Herbert Volney’s summation. The State, via prosecuting attorney Trevor Ward, delivered its closing address to the jury yesterday.  Defence attorneys Mario Merritt and Wayne Sturge had addressed the jury last week. Regarding the evidence that had been heard by the 14 jurors (12 plus two alternates,) Ward suggested they reject everything put to them by the defence since it (he defence) had been “blowing hot and cold.”  In contrast, Ward said, the State had presented its case in a “consistent, systematic and sensible” manner.

He lauded the law enforcement officers, under the directions of Insp David Nedd, for their “good police work” during the investigations leading up to the arrests and subsequent murder charges being laid against Daniel Agard and Lester Pitman. The men, both of Upper Bushe Street, Maitagual, San Juan, are charged with the murders of 59-year-old John Cropper, 83-year-old Maggie Lee and 51-year-old Lynette Lithgow-Pearson at their home at Mt Anne Drive, Second Avenue, Cascade. The bodies of the three were found on the morning of December 14, 2001 in the bathroom annexed to the master bedroom of the house.They were bound and gagged and their throats had been slit.They had reportedly been murdered sometime between December 11 and 13. “My duty is to put everything before you to make what you want of it,” the State attorney said.

Agard’s “recent” fingerprint on the jewelry box that was removed from the Cropper’s house by the police and the Republic Bank’s surveillance tape showing footage of the accused withdrawing cash from the Cropper’s joint chequing account, Ward said, was proof that Agard was “caught with his hand in the cookie jar.” He queried whether or not the jury could believe that “Uncle John had completely lost his senses” and had given his great niece Rachel Jamie Agard a card to the account to withdraw cash “with discretion.” Recapping the evidence of the State’s main witness Dion Jones, Ward said Jones had been able to account for his whereabouts on every day following December 12 up till his arrest on December 18. On some of those days, Ward reminded the jurors, Jones had testified that Agard had been with him securing the stolen appliances and selling the jewelry.