Yan Edwards [left] and Allen Baptiste, February 25, 2013
Photo Credit: Melissa Edwards/BVI Platinum News
Yan Edwards [left] and Allen Baptiste, February 25, 2013
Photo Credit: Melissa Edwards/BVI Platinum News
Vaughn Cameron, the Prosecution's key witness said he did not report the alleged plot by Yan Edwards and Allen Baptiste to murder Keri 'Hank' Harrigan in 2011 because he was fearful for his life.
"I fear for my life too," Cameron said today, February 28, in response to a question by Prosecutor Valston Graham. Graham also asked Cameron if he agreed or planned with anyone to kill Harrigan and Cameron said no.
Cameron is into day two of his testimony.
Edwards and Baptiste are on trial for Harrigan's murder. Harrigan was gunned down on March 16, 2011 in the area of the Long Look clinic.
Cameron told the court today that on the night of March 16, 2011, he was in the area of the woman who sells chicken in Long Look. He said while he was there hanging out, his phone rang and Edwards was on the other end of the phone. He said Edwards asked him if he saw the girl and he said no he did not see the girl.
Cameron said he understood Edwards to be referring to Harrigan as the girl.
He said following his response, Edwards then told him that he [Cameron] was loafing and sleeping on the block. The witness said the phone then cut off and he made attempts to get back in touch with Edwards by borrowing someone else's phone.
Cameron said Baptiste answered and told him, "Don't worry, we already see the girl". He said Baptiste then said when he [Cameron] hears gunshots, just stay put.
He said he understood that statement to mean that he [Baptiste] saw Harrigan and that he was going to shoot him.
Cameron said after the call, he saw Edwards driving past the area with Baptiste in the passenger seat. Cameron said the vehicle was some 20 feet away from where he [Cameron] was standing.
The witness said shortly after, he heard about three gunshots which came from the clinic area and when he looked out in the direction, he saw Harrigan.
He said he heard the gunshots 7-8 minutes after he spoke to Baptiste.
"The direction where I heard the gunshots, I saw Harrigan lying in loads of blood. I got into my car with Mr. Springette and drove to Bobby's in Long Look area."
He said he then dropped Springette home in Belle Vue and proceeded to a female friend's residence in West End where he spent the night.
Under cross examination by Edwards' lawyer Stephen Daniels, Cameron was asked if Harrigan was his friend and he said yes.
Daniels then asked, "You hear two men, according to you, planning to get rid of your friend and you did not tell them no you cannot do that?" Cameron, who was crying said, "No I didn't tell them not to do that."
The lawyer asked him if he told Harrigan about the alleged plot to get rid of him and Cameron said no.
Daniels said Cameron testified that Edwards said he was going to deal with Harrigan because he was running his mouth, but it was Cameron's interpretation that it meant get rid of him, but the witness did not agree.
Cross examination continues.
"I Am Going To Give Keri Some Of These"
On March 15, 2011, the day before Harrigan was gunned down, accused Edwards held a 45 caliber firearm in the air and said, "this is what I am going to give Keri some of these."
Cameron made the revelation during the first day of his testimony on February 27, as he occasionally tried to fight back tears.
Cameron, during examination in chief which was led by Prosecutor Graham, said back in March 2011 he drove his girlfriend's vehicle and was unemployed at the time. Cameron related that he no longer lives in the BVI, but spent most of his time back in March 2011 in the area of the clinic in Long Look.
Cameron, who is known as Larry, said he knew Edwards for some six years and Baptiste for about three to four years. He said he would hang out with Edwards almost every day when he [Cameron] was not doing anything for himself.
Speaking to March 15, 2011, Cameron testified that he went to West End earlier in the day to pick up his girlfriend and son. He said he dropped them at separate locations and then he went to the Admin Complex to meet a Mr. Frett about a job.
Cameron told the court that he later went to Long Look and then Edwards called him on his cellular phone and told him that he wanted to see him.
The witness said he went to Edwards' work place at the East End Fire station. He said when he got there, Edwards was in his office and was asking him if he saw Harrigan. "I told him no."
According to Cameron, Edwards said Harrigan "was running his mouth a lot and he is going to have to deal with him".
Graham asked the witness what he understood Edwards to mean and Cameron said, basically to get rid of Harrigan; kill him.
He said he stayed at the Fire Station for an hour and a half, and then Edwards asked him to collect his son and other children at the Francis Lettsome Primary School. Cameron told the court that when he returned to the Fire Station, both Edwards and Baptiste were in his office. The witness said he left the children in the vehicle.
Cameron said the men were talking about what they were going to do with Harrigan. He said Edwards, who was sitting in an office chair, spoke about a package that was scheduled to arrive through DHL.
"And he was saying they were getting two skeleton masks...He was saying that he is going to let Baptiste deal with him [Harrigan]..."
He said Baptiste, who was standing, responded yes.
Cameron said Edwards then told him that he [Cameron] needed to get more serious, "and said look at him [Edwards] and Baptiste 'we are built for this'."
Graham asked him what he thought Edwards meant by those statements and Cameron said that he needed to get tougher and, "they were the kind of persons that would do something like that."
He said he left the Fire Station sometime early in the evening and they went to a pre-school in Long Look to pick up Edwards' daughter.
He said he was dropped off in the Long Look area and later, Edwards called him and said he wanted to see him.
Cameron said Edwards indicated that he was on the top so he gathered that it was behind a secluded area in Long Look. However, when he went Edwards was not there and when he looked up at Edwards´ home his jeep was not there.
Cameron said he then went to Allen Wheatley's home where he thought Edwards might be.
He said when he arrived Wheatley greeted him at the door and told him that the guys were upstairs.
He said when he entered the room he saw Baptiste, 'Jrizzle' [Henito Penn] and Edwards. He said they were offloading a box with a baby stroller, beach chair, marijuana, and a black hand gun.
Cameron said Edwards told him that they got two skeleton masks along with five pounds of marijuana and two more firearms.
He said Edwards was in possession of the 45 caliber gun. Cameron said Edwards told him that it was a 45 caliber.
He said Edwards was holding the gun in the air and said he was going to give Harrigan some of these.
The witness said he was not there when the seal for the box was opened.
Cameron will continue to give evidence when the trial resumes this afternoon. The victim's mother is in court today listening to the evidence.
Package With Guns & Ammo Came From Texas Through DHL
Henito Penn testified on Tuesday February 26, that he was part of a group of men including murder accused Edwards and Baptiste, who unpacked a package which included ammunition, three guns, marijuana, a stroller, a chair and a magazine the day before Harrigan was gunned down.
Penn told the court that during 2011 he resided at Little Dix Hill, East End. He said he was employed at Todman Air Condition and would sometimes hang out in Long Look.
Murder victim, Keri 'Hank' Harrigan
Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News
Murder victim, Keri 'Hank' Harrigan
Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News
Penn said he had several nicknames including 'Sniper' and 'Jizzle'. He said he knew Edwards from primary school days and Baptiste some two years prior to March 2011. He also knew the deceased, Harrigan.
He said during March 2011, his relationship with Edwards was good and noted that Edwards owned a black Suzuki jeep and would sometimes drive his girlfriend's maroon jeep.
Speaking to the day before murder, March 15, 2011, Penn said he went on the block around 4:30 pm, then proceeded home and later returned to the block. He said on the block, Edwards telephoned him on his cellular phone and they spoke. According to Penn, Edwards told him that he had something to check out and related to Penn that it was a package. He said Edwards did not have to tell him much as he was aware of the package and its contents.
Penn said Edwards then picked him up and drove to Allen Wheatley's residence. He said once there, they went into the bedroom located above the garage. Penn said they were waiting on Vaughn Cameron [Larry] and Baptiste, who were scheduled to meet them there.
He said they then opened the package which was in a large box and in the box contained a chair, stroller, old shoes, a book [magazine], marijuana, ammunition and three guns. He said they were wrapped in tape and saran wrap.
Penn told the court that were three guns; a 45, a 9mm and a 357 or 38 revolver. He said they examined the revolver where the barrel was missing and a piece of the 9mm was also missing. He said the ammunition were for a 9mm, 45 caliber and a 357 or 38. He said none of the guns came loaded in the package.
He further related that Edwards loaded the 45 firearm and examined it. "He pulled back the top to see if the shots would be released, to see if it was working and not jamming."
He said Edwards checked at first, but they all [Penn, Baptiste and Larry] checked the weapons to see which ones were working.
Penn stated that at one point, Larry was not there as he left and then returned.
Penn, who said they were at the house for some three hours, said he took the remaining ammunition, 9mm and revolver firearms and Edwards took the 45, which was loaded. He explained that the guns he took were not working and he took them at his grandmother's home and hid them in the yard. He said Edwards dropped him there.
Meanwhile, under cross examination by Edwards' lawyer, Stephen Daniels, Penn said the package came from Texas, USA through DHL and agreed that he was part of the arrangement to import the illegal guns.
Daniels also asked Penn if he told police this and whether he was charged for importation and possession of firearm and cannabis. Penn said he did tell police, but was not charged. "Not to my knowledge", he said.
Lawyer for Baptiste, Patrick Thompson asked Penn if Baptiste left with the 9mm on March 15 and Penn said he did not.
The witness disagreed with the lawyer, who suggested that Baptiste was never at Wheatley's house on March 15.
"I am suggesting to you that Mr. Baptiste was never a party to any agreement/plan to import any firearms, ammunition or cannabis," Thompson put to the witness, who said, "I agree".
Under reexamination by Prosecutor Graham, Penn said it was him and Edwards who were parties to the importation of the guns and ammunition.
