Wismar man on gun charges was defending accused chain snatcher – court hears

Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson yesterday ordered that two men, one accused of shooting another with an unlicensed gun and another man accused of snatching a woman’s gold chain, be remanded to prison shortly after they appeared before her at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court.

Twenty-three-year-old Thelon Crawford also called ‘Thin Thin’ of Lot 30 John Alley, Wismar, Linden pleaded not guilty to the charges of unlawful possession of a firearm and a quantity of ammunition but he was not required to enter a plea to the indictable charge of discharging a loaded firearm with intent to cause harm.

Meanwhile, David Roseman, 20, of Lot 36 Stewart Park, Wismar, Linden, pleaded not guilty to the charge of larceny from the person.
It is alleged that on September 2, at Danjou Alley, Linden, Crawford discharged a loaded firearm at Kieron Fiedtkou with intent to maim, disfigure, disable or cause him actual bodily harm.

However, Crawford denied that he had a .38 snub-nose revolver in his possession on the same day and place, without being the owner of a valid firearm licence. He also denied that on the same day and place he had two spent shells belonging to a .38 revolver, without being the owner of a permit.

Meanwhile, Roseman denied that on the same day at Burnham Drive, Wismar, Linden, he stole a gold chain valued $34,000 from Pamela Kellman.

However, Crawford, who stood in the dock of the court with his right hand in a cast and a swollen and bloodshot right eye, stated that the gun was not his but it belonged to someone who had been part of the group of persons who had dealt him several blows about his body on the day in question.
He said on that day he was standing at the corner when he observed a group of persons approaching him. He said when they reached him, they grabbed him and asked him where was Kellman’s chain.

“Over 15 ah them beat me cause them accused me ah thiefing a gold chain.”
He said when he told them that he knew nothing about the chain, they started to beat him and it was then that a gun dropped from one of them and he picked it up and fired a shot which hit Fiedtkou.

Prosecutor Kevin London stated that on the day in question, Fiedtkou was in the company of a group of villagers who were looking for Crawford for allegedly snatching a gold chain.

He said while the villagers were attempting to apprehend Crawford he took out a gun and fired a shot which hit Fiedtkou in the buttocks.
He was caught and handed over to the police.
Meanwhile, Roseman stated that on night of the incident he was on his way home when he saw a friend who informed him that four policemen had been looking for him.

He said that he then decided to go to the police station to find out why the police were looking for him but while heading there he was intercepted by an angry crowd who grabbed him and accused him of snatching Kellman’s chain. He said he received a severe beating and was later handed over to the police.

London stated that Crawford was defending Roseman while the crowd was beating him and that was how he also received a beating.
The magistrate subsequently ordered that Crawford and Roseman be remanded to prison and transferred the matter to the Christiansburg Magistrate’s Court for September 9.