Newspaper photo allowed into evidence

DEPUTY Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington yesterday admitted into evidence a newspaper photograph submitted by defence attorneys in the Dr Chandra Naraynsingh preliminary inquiry. The photograph, published in a daily newspaper, was shown to State witness Shawn Parris by attorney Prakash Ramadhar, who yesterday cross-examined Parris for a sixth occasion in the San Fernando Magis-trates’ Court. After asking Parris several questions about the photo, Ramadhar sought to tender the photograph into evidence. Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard had no objection to the photo being shown to the State witness, but challenged Ramadhar about tendering it into evidence.

“I don’t know that this photograph can be entered and marked anything,” Gaspard told the magistrate. Queen’s Counsel Karl Hudson-Phillips and attorney Sophia Chote made legal submissions to the magistrate on the issue. Hudson-Phillips is de-fending Prof Vijay Naraynsingh, who is charged with the murder of  his former wife, Dr Chandra Naraynsingh. Also charged are the professor’s current wife, Seeromanie and San Fernando businessman Elton Ramasir. The murder was committed ten years ago by Parris, whom the State is using as a witness. Chandra, a doctor of homoeopathic medicine, was gunned down at her workplace — the Langmore Health Foundation — on June 29, 1994.

After legal submissions on the issue of the photograph being tendered, Magistrate Wellington ruled that it be admitted into evidence. The magistrate said, “They (the defence) can call that person who took the picture, but the newspaper report itself is not in evidence.” Ramadhar asked Parris several more questions then reserved further cross-examination. Yesterday’s hearing also saw defence attorneys taking issue with Parris’ corrections to his evidence while it was being read over to him by the magistrate’s clerk. Parris attempted to make changes to what was recorded by the court’s clerk of his testimony, but Hudson-Phillips objected.

However, the magistrate ruled that the witness was entitled to make corrections and additions to the evidence in the deposition. Yesterday, Day 17 of the inquiry, was delayed for more than three hours due to a shortage of police officers in the cell block area to deal with some 60 prisoners. Hearing was scheduled to begin at 10.15 am, but did not commence until 1.30 pm when Magistrate Wellington announced the start of proceedings. “It does not make sense waiting,” the magistrate told the attorneys, “We are kind of short-staffed this morning.” Hearing continues next Tuesday when defence attorney Larry Lalla will begin cross-examining Parris.