Cop charged with 2007 St Barb's murder ends his defence

ONE of the officers who was in a group of police in the St Barb’s, Laventille, in 2007 when one of his colleagues killed a man insisted on Wednesday the dead man had a gun.

PC Charles James testified that Sheldon des Vignes had a gun, which he saw briefly. He also insisted he heard his colleague Anthony Sylvester shout to someone to “put that gun down” before Sylvester took out his pistol and fired two shots.

James said afterwards, he caught up with Sylvester in an alley off St Barb’s Road, where they were pursuing an alleged gang member, Nesta Charles, and a group of other men that day, and saw someone lying on the ground.

James said the man on the ground had a gun by his hand. Sylvester, he said, picked it up while James made a phone call and both of them picked up the man to take him to the police jeep.

The man on the ground was des Vignes, whom Sylvester shot and killed on November 9, 2007. Sylvester is before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas for his murder.

Sylvester is claiming he acted in self-defence.

Prosecution witnesses have insisted des Vignes had no weapon.

James was called by Sylvester’s attorneys, Israel Khan, SC, and Ulric Skerritt, to testify in his defence. He was the second officer to testify for Sylvester.

On Tuesday, PC Junior Nesbitt, who was also part of the group of officers, also testified.

It is alleged that on the day in question, des Vignes and some others were sitting in a shed playing cards.

Sylvester and other officers on patrol in the area noticed another man, Richie Gloster, wearing camouflage pants. They told him to take them off, since wearing such clothing was illegal.

Gloster refused and assaulted the officer, then ran towards des Vignes and the others. Sylvester allegedly started shooting at Gloster but shot des Vignes.

Gloster, whose real name is Ridge, but who said he is called Richie, admitted he had on camouflage shorts and des Vignes had on a camouflage vest.

He insisted des Vignes had no gun.

James said he, Sylvester, Nesbitt and PC Anderson went to St Barb’s Road after Sylvester heard Charles and others had been seen in the area with guns and wearing camouflage clothing.

He said when they got there, they saw Charles, and three of them chased the men down an alley. James said Anderson remained by the police vehicle. Sylvester was ahead of him and Nesbitt remained by a gate leading to the alley.

“We reached two-thirds of the way and I saw Sylvester fall,” he said. He also said Sylvester’s Galil assault rifle “skated in front of him” and then suddenly, he saw Sylvester raise his head and shout, “Put that gun down.”

“While getting up, he took out his pistol and fired two shots.

He said the two of them took the injured man to the police jeep which by that time was surrounded by a violent crowd using obscene language and throwing things at them.

James said Sylvester remained in the tray of the police vehicle with the injured man and while they were driving out of St Barb’s Road to take him to hospital, he heard a “couple loud explosions” behind him.

James was in the front passenger seat of the police van while Nesbitt drove and Anderson sat in the back.

He said he did not see Sylvester slap anyone when they got to St Barb’s Road.

At the end of James’s evidence, Sylvester’s attorneys closed the case for the defence. They are expected to address the judge on Tuesday or Wednesday.

The State is represented by prosecutors Indira Chinebas and Ambay Ramkhelawan.