Murder accused Carl Bennett yesterday said that he was innocent of the murder of Marvin Boston, called “Jess,” who he is accused of fatally stabbing.
Bennett made the statement as he led his defence when his trial continued before Justice Navindra Singh in the High Court.
He is on trial for the October 24, 2009 murder of Boston, which occurred in Albouystown.
Prosecution witness Sonia Williams had said that she saw the accused stabbing Boston. But in an unsworn statement, after prosecutors Renita Singh and Rhondel Weever closed their case, Bennett yesterday said that four days before the murder, he was returning home after taking his son for his usual morning walk through the community when he was approached by Boston’s cousin, Renee Williams and three of his friends.
They started to assault him and accused him of having an affair with his friend’s wife, he said, while adding that he told the men that he did not know anything about what they are accusing him of.
According to Bennett, Williams then “draw a knife and push it in me face and dem seh if I ain’t know about any relationship between me an (name given), he self gon damage me.” He added that he then went home but Williams and his friends visited his house, armed with a cutlass and pieces of wood. He stated “Renee was about to enter my yard and I draw me cutlass from inside me house after I see he coming and I tell he if he come in my yard he gone find he self in trouble.” The men then left.
On the day of the murder, Bennett said that he was returning home once more after a walk with his son when Williams approached him again and started to assault him. Williams also held onto his hands took him into his yard, he said. While he was being pulled into Williams’ yard, he said that he saw a neighbour coming and he asked that person to take his son by his mother. He also stated that he saw Boston and another man approaching and they ended up in a scuffle after Boston held onto him. Williams then started to stab him.
Bennett said his brother, Cordell, then came and he and Williams also began to scuffle. Bennett added that he managed to get away and ran to his mother’s house and his brother followed him shortly after. His brother had stab wounds to his hands and head, he noted.
Sonia Williams had earlier testified that Cordell and Williams were in a gutter fighting, while Carl Bennett was on the street a short distance away. Carl then left and returned shortly after with two knives and “start firing juks,” at Williams. “Jess come out and snatch Carl by he hand and tell he humble and Carl hold on to Jess neck. Carl pelt a juk at Jess left side chest and Jess yelled out ‘oh gad Carly you gon kill me?” she said.
The trial will continue today when the prosecution will make its closing arguments as will defence counsel Nigel Hughes. Justice Singh will then sum up the evidence and then hand the case over to the jury for deliberation and a verdict.
