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by pltm
(PLTM) - In a session noted to be the highlight of the trial proceedings, the star witness in the case where Kenyatta Boynes is charged with the murder of Paul Prentice and attempted murder of another, took the stand to give his testimony yesterday, October 13.
On the night of December 14, 2014, Paul Prentice and another male friend were sitting on the porch at Aaron's Car Rental along Waterfront Drive when it is alleged that Boynes, armed with a gun, opened fire in the area, leaving Prentice dead from a single wound to his chest. However, his intended target was not Prentice, but the other male.
The star witness, a survivor in the incident, had previously informed the court that he identified the shooter to be Boynes by his eyes, facial structure and dread locks. When asked to describe the eyes of the defendant, which he said he had identified on the day of the incident, he had difficulty doing so and refused to respond. The witness also agreed that dread locks is a very popular hairstyle for BVI men.
The witness disclosed that he knew Boynes for a total of 3 months prior to the incident as a result of being introduced by one of his [witness] family members. He further told the court that he and the accused were just friends and nothing more.
This information came in response to a question from Boynes’ Attorney, Mr. Patrick Thompson during cross examination.
As the matter proceeded, the witness was questioned on whether or not he knows the definition of S.O. B and what the letters represent, to which he denied having any knowledge of the abbreviation.
In referencing a statement given to officers by the witness, Thompson highlighted that the accused indeed has knowledge of the gang, in addition to knowing the abbreviation stands for Straps On Board, as he had indicated all this to officers in his statement. The witness had also told the court that the street definition for strap is gun.
Following this, the witness said he had no recollection of saying this in his statement to the police.
He went on to tell the court that him, Boynes and the other boys who frequently smoked and chilled together were just friends and denied being a member of the gang who boasts about having straps on board.
In response to a follow up question, the witness stated that he had no recollection of whether or not Boynes was a member of the group.
Thompson also brought to the court’s attention that days prior the incident on December 14, the witness, the lone survivor of the public shooting, who claims that the gunman in question was Boynes, who was mad at him [witness] for stealing the weed, was involved in an altercation with some other men who reside in Baughers Bay.
The court heard that the matter was of a violent nature and involved the witness beating another with a metal, but the allegations were refuted by the witness.
Questions From The Jury
Wanting more answers and information in efforts to be fair and proper with their decision, the jury questioned the witness’ statement when he informed the court that he felt threatened when the accused had approached him the day before the incident and demanded a reimbursement for the weed he had stolen.
“I was scared. I’ve never been in a situation like that. I felt threatened.”
As previously disclosed in the allegations outlined by the crown, Boynes had given the witness a bag of weed to hold and after collecting it the next day, some of the drug was missing. The accused then drove by their usual hangout at Aaron’s Car Rental and told the witness, “You know you put me on the spot. I know what's going on, you took the weed.” He then demanded that he [witness] pay $600 on the spot or double if more time was needed.
The jury questioned if the witness felt threatened, why didn’t he try to reconcile his debt, to which he responded that he had no time.
“There was no time. I didn’t have enough time to do so.”
He further noted that the quantity he had stolen was enough to make approximately 4 to 5 joints and further estimated it to be a value of $100.
Following his response, the witness was questioned by Thompson as to what he perceived the statement of paying double to mean, to which he stated he does not know.
Thompson further asked why he was threatened by a statement he does not know the meaning of, to which he said, “It was the way he said it.”
The trial is ongoing.
Previous Article Published October 12 - Prentice Gunned Down Over Missing Weed; Was Not Intended Target - Jury Hears
On the fatal night of December 14, 2014, Paul Prentice and another male friend were sitting on the porch at Aaron's Car Rental along Waterfront Drive when Kenyatta Boynes, armed with a gun, opened fire in the area, leaving Prentice dead from a single wound to his chest. However, his intended target was not Prentice, but the other male.
This was put to a nine member jury yesterday afternoon, October 11, as the trial involving Boynes, 31, also known as Yhats, kicked off in the High Court.
The jurors were told that the shooting came about because Boynes was upset that marijuana (weed) was missing from a stash he gave the male to hold overnight.
Boynes is charged with the murder of Prentice, 21, and the attempted murder of the other male. He is represented by Attorney-at-Law, Patrick Thompson.
In her opening address to the jury, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Kim Hollis QC described the incident as a moment of terror that left a young man laying dead in the middle of the public road.
She said that on Sunday, December 14 around 7:00 pm, 11 days before Christmas, families were out and about in the Waterfront Drive area, including relaxing at an ice cream parlour located next to the car rental establishment.
The DPP stated that Prentice and his friend were sitting on the porch, and critically and unfortunately, Prentice was closest to the parlour, which is separated from the car rental building by an alley.
Hollis said suddenly, a shot rang out followed by three successive rounds, and at this time persons were running for their lives and sought refuge in the ice cream parlour.
When the shot was fired, both Prentice and his friend jumped over the rail, but unlike his friend, Prentice was not lucky and he was hit to the left side of the chest. He stumbled, falling on the public road, face down, where he died.
The gunman, who had emerged from the alley, then ran back into the alley and jumped into a distinctive grey taxi bus and sped away.
According to the DPP, after the shooting, Boynes made a series of calls and got rid of the vehicle, went home to shower and returned to the scene to inquire what had happened. But she said this was done to make sure that someone saw him at the scene, to create a false alibi.
Missing Weed/Actions Before Shooting
Hollis told the jurors that when the crown begins to release its evidence before them, they will hear that there was a clear motive by Boynes. She said that he had intended to shoot and murder the other male, but in the process, shot and killed Prentice.
Taking the jury back to four days before the shooting, Hollis alleged that on December 10, the male individual who was the intended target on the dreadful night, was asked by Boynes to hold a bag of weed until the next day. She said at the time, he was driving the grey taxi bus.
According to the crown's case, the individual hid the bag of weed, but not before taking some for his personal use, with the hope of not being discovered.
On the following day, as was planned, Boynes came back and collected the bag without checking inside. He then returned on Saturday, December 13th around 8:30 pm at the car rental, driving the grey taxi bus. He rolled down the window and told the male, "You know you put me on the spot. I know what's going on, you took the weed."
He further told the person to come clean and pay him $600 immediately or double the price if he couldn't pay up at the time.
Boynes then reversed and drove away.
Then on Sunday, December 14, ten minutes before the shooting, Boynes drove up in the grey taxi bus at the car rental, looked at the male individual for some 3-5 seconds and drove away.
It was also mentioned that CCTV footage in the area shows the grey taxi bus on upper Main Street twice, including immediately after the shooting.
Survivor ID Boynes
Hollis told the jury that after the first shot rang out, the male individual looked up and saw the gunman who was in his eye sight for some 6 seconds. He said he was wearing a long grey shirt and a white t-shirt covering his face.
The survivor told police that despite attempts to conceal his face, he saw the gunman's eyes, his (dread) locks and facial structure. He said it was Boynes.
The court was told that the other three shots fired were aimed at hitting the target (Prentice's friend), but instead a vehicle in the area was damaged and the male individual was able to escape.
Boynes is also known to have been a frequent visitor to the car rental establishment to hang out with the young men there, including Prentice.
The survivor in the ambush shooting will be the star witness for the prosecution.
The trial continues this morning before Justice Nicola Byer.
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