Victim’s killer is State’s next witness

SHAWN PARRIS, the man who killed Dr Chandra Naraynsingh, and who is serving a life sentence, will be the State’s next star witness on Monday when hearing into the murder charge against the deceased’s former husband Prof Vijay Naraynsingh continues. Prof Naraynsingh’s present wife Seeromanie and businessman Elton Ramasir, who are also charged, will hear witness Parris, whom Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington agreed to be brought to court from the Maximum Security Prison on a request by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard. Parris was sentenced to life imprisonment on February 12 last year after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the murder of Dr Naraynsingh.

In passing sentence on Parris in the San Fernando First Criminal Assizes Court, Justice Herbert Volney ordered him not be released before 30 years. Parris is expected to begin giving evidence on Monday, when hearing resumes at 1.30 pm in the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court. He will be a State witness, magistrate Wellington was informed, after deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Gaspard asked the court to issue a note to have Parris brought from prison. Cross-examination of another star witness, Junior Morris, came to a premature pause yesterday, when attorney Prakash Ramadhar requested a document which the defence attorney said was critical to his continued questioning of Morris.

Gaspard said the original was in the “possession” of Parris, but he had sent copies of the document to the defence team. However, Ramadhar insisted he could not effectively embark on further cross-examination of Morris without seeing the original document. “The lives of my clients are on the line,” Ramadhar, who is defending accused Seeromanie, told the court. Ramadhar asked Wellington to have Parris produce the original document in order to facilitate further cross-examination of Morris. Gaspard submitted, however, that the magistrate had no power to force Parris to produce the document.

Magistrate Wellington intervened, “I don’t know if we can compel Shawn Parris to produce the original and present it to the court. In any case, he can’t come today.” The magistrate told the attorneys that whenever Parris, who is at the Maximum Security Prison, is brought to the court, it would be for the purpose of giving evidence in the inquiry. Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson-Phillips, who is defending Prof Naraynsingh, asked the magistrate to include the request for Parris’ appearance in court as a State witness, to bring along the original document. Wellington disagreed, however, saying: “Let Mr Gaspard attempt to persuade him (Parris).”