Antonio Isles murder trial… Witness testifies to seeing seaman beaten by group of children, suffers seizure

There was a commotion in the courtroom of Justice Navindra Singh yesterday afternoon, when a prosecution witness suffered a seizure during the course of giving evidence in the case of murdered seaman, Antonio Isles.

On trial are Kevin Washington and Dennecia Halley, who allegedly murdered Isles between March 1 and 3, 2013 at Pike Street, Kitty.

The witness, Kelvin De Peazer, one of the prosecution’s main witnesses was one of three called to give evidence yesterday morning.

De Peazer, a friend of the deceased, recounted meeting Isles at a Pike Street shop where they indulged in a drink just minutes before he was beaten by a group of children armed with pieces of wood.

Antonio Isles
Antonio Isles

He explained that after leaving the shop, he was heading in the direction of Alexander Street, Kitty when the owner of the shop called out to him to notify him of the incident.

“I turn around and saw a whole set of kids with 2x4s beating on Antonio… I ran towards them and some of the kids run in the yard while two of them lef standing outside,” De Peazer said.

He added that Isles was lying on the ground and some of the children came out the yard with a bucket of water and threw it on his friend.

“I ask them why they beating on this guy… and one of them turn and say why I don’t mind my own business, how he [Isles] go to rob his mother,” De Peazer related.

When asked if he knew the person who had made the remark, De Peazer replied in the affirmative before pointing out Halley, the second accused.

Additionally, he identified Halley and Washington as the two who had remained on the road when the others ran inside the yard for the bucket of water. He said they seemed to be in “some kinda rage” at that particular time.

The man went on to explain that he picked up Isles and took him to the Kitty Police Station where he was subsequently placed in a taxi and sent to the Georgetown Public Hospital.

After a few questions from the prosecutor with regard to the evidence, Justice Singh adjourned for lunch.

On his return to the witness box to continue his evidence-in-chief, De Peazer seemed a bit agitated. He then suddenly fell from the witness box.

The Court Marshal assisted him to the closest seat in the juror’s section, but it did not end there as De Peazer began convulsing on the bench in the throes of a seizure.

On seeing what was taking place, a relative of one of the murder accused rushed over to offer assistance.

The seizure continued for close to five minutes and then De Peazer became unresponsive. At that point, Justice Singh rose from the bench and went over to where De Peazer was to evaluate the situation while instructing someone to call an ambulance.

Fortunately, De Peazer revived and was subsequently escorted out of the courtroom and taken to the hospital.

After taking a few minutes to restore order, it was agreed that another witness would be called in place of De Peazer.

This turned out to be Police Corporal Shellon Edwards who attested to arresting Halley, who was 15 years old at that time, and taking an oral statement from her in which she maintained her innocence in the matter.

According to Edwards, Halley said, “Officer, all wah me guh tell yuh, me in murder nobody. I was in meh house watching African Moods and meh hear people makin noise. Meh in know nothing bout no murder.”

The state’s case is being presented by Prosecutors Michael Shahoud and Orinthia Schmidt, while Washington and Halley are being represented by attorneys Peter Hugh and Dexter Todd respectively.