Murder case collapses after key witness denies statement

16

Dwayne “Little Man” Joseph walked free of a murder charge today after the prosecution’s main witness denied key parts of his statement to police.

Prosecutors had alleged Joseph handed Ziggy Beazer a gun moments before Beazer shot Jermaine “Six Months” Destin in his head on March 18, 2013.

Destin died on the spot following the shooting, which occurred around 6:30pm on Athill Street in Villa.

Prosecutors were using the principle of joint enterprise to convict both men of the alleged murder.

However, when the main witness, Ingram Carson Matthew aka “Uppercut” took the stand this morning, he denied telling police he witnessed the shooting.

Matthew, who testified he knew Joseph and Beazer all their lives, said about 15 minutes before the incident, he saw Joseph walking on Athill Street.

However, he denied Beazer was with him despite this appearing in his signed statement to police.

The witness said he later heard a loud sound and saw people running so he ran too.

He said when he got back to the area, he saw a man lying in a pool of blood.

The court allowed the prosecution to treat the witness as “hostile” since his testimony differed significantly from what was in his written statement.

When questioned about what was in the statement, Matthew denied telling police he saw Beazer putting a handkerchief over his face before Joseph handed him a gun.

He also died seeing Beazer walking over to Destin and shooting him in his head.

Matthew, who told the court he is only now learning to read, said when police read his statement to him in 2013, it did not say he witnessed the shooting.

Following Matthew’s evidence, prosecutors discontinued the case and the judge directed the jury to formally find Joseph not guilty of murder.

 

Joseph , who had been in custody since 2013, walked out the courtroom a free man.

 

Beazer and Joseph were initially charged jointly with murder but last year Beazer was found unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues.

 

The court separated the cases last month so that Joseph could be tried while Beazer undergoes treatment.

Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]

16 COMMENTS

    • It seem the police department did something crooked. They seem to have realized the witness could not read . So they wrote what they want and read only what he told them to make it seem they will have it in his statement, then turn in something different from what he said. Serve the cops right.

      • Byline Angkin. Please stop. Stop typing this bs. Hammer Pump is a is a Confidential Informant! Stop explaining stuff. Hammer Pump is a SNITCH! His account had a man sitting in jail for 7 years! Unbelievable

    • WHAT THE HELL IS THIS????

      To your question, it has the resemblance of ‘…Travesty of Justice.’

      ***********************
      But Na-a-ah!

      It is ‘…Why the hell it took so long to find out that the ‘…Key Witness’ couldn’t read.’

      Moreover, ‘…Why the hell it took so long to bring the Case to trial.’
      You may still ask my good friend ‘…Duncy Bat.’

      Sure he might ask his brighter brother ‘…Rock Head.’

      Not ‘…Ras Smood’ though.

      Not sure what the hell he might say, but some darn thing.

      If pressed, he might just be inclined to give some kind of ‘…Ganja Answer’- ‘…Prosecutor Ganja.’

      • How he cudda read when he min make dem jail chin an say he see she shot she husband??? , u r a stinky dutty lierd nasty ass man, am so sorry for this justice system rite now , the whoke system is been push down the drain , uppercut u a dammm lierd duncey batttttttt , u need to go bath ur damm skin, always trying to mess with some thing , u never see chin kill she husband u get pay to say so , an know u really see wat u see u go an act like u cabt read an all kinda shit …..smfh

      • Pompey, be sure to watch Wendy!

        The RAS Tafar I, family in the not too distant future, shall deliver, an Academy Award to Antigua, Barbuda & Redonda!

        You had no idea, that the Rastafar I Movement, would reach the heights, that they have, and in such short time, given that, Law Enforcement was always on Our backs, trying to bury I n I alive; well, guest what, Ras Tafar I holds no animosity, towards you or any other Law Enforcement officer.

        Now, what the fuck does this case has to do with ganja, and me?
        You seem to attempting, to be frenamy(friend & enemy), at the same time; but, hey guess what, we also read, “I’m OK, You’re OK” to include the “Games People Play…”
        Unlike, UpperCut, I learnt to read, and betwixt & between the lines, as well.

        Would you Pompey, make a comment, associating PM Browne, or any of the Law Enforcement Officers which you trained, with “ganja,” in the same light as you attempt, to do me?
        How about, if I start associating you with, de Big Big Bamboo?

  2. Whoa whoa whoa so suddenly after 7 whole years pass all of ah sudden he nah say nutting to da police even though he was shown a written statement wha he sign?!!! Something nah right ya!!

    • He stated that he could not read at the time. And what was read to him according to what he told them was what he said then. But it seem the police seem to write a different version and read something else to him what he said.

    • If it’s legit. Oh he guy said he only learn to read recently. So that tells the whole story.

  5. Whether innocent or guilty (and in the eyes of the law, one is innocent until proven guilty), why is a person in jail on remand for 7 years?!?! Surely that can’t be right. The system is obviously floored in some way. With regards to the statement that was taken it’s high time for digital media to be used in the police station. Either by recordings, or video. We seem content on living in the dark ages.

  6. So the key witness failed.

    What about the motive for the mens rea, surely their must be a motive to shot a man point blank in a street, that is not normal behavior.

    The police files should always be as complete as possible so that if one element fails, their is another to fall back on.

    The police should not stop investigating simply because they have an eye witness. To have a full understanding of the crime situation in the country and how best to mitigate against it, as much information as possible should be gathered.

  7. There is a possibility that another cold murder is on the street.

    Is it at all possible that a person can tell the police that they saw something then negotiate a fee with the perp and his or her family to free them?

    Now this is what the police need to investigate family and friends bank accounts movement of money examine whats app messages and phone call logs etc, and bit by bit piece this thing together.

    Now this may have consequences because persons who are not convicted and serving time cases will have to be overturned.

    This is serious stuff, the po po need to work independently and follow their gut instincts and hunches because they might just lead them somewhere….

Comments are closed.