Yan Edwards

Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

Yan Edwards

Photo Credit: BVI Platinum News

"Eddo, Eddo", a boy called out from the gazebo in Long Look as murder accused Yan Edwards and Allen Baptiste visited the area where Keri 'Hank' Harrigan was murdered on March 16, 2011. They were accompanied by police officers, jurors, defence lawyers, prosecutors and trial Judge, Justice Albert Redhead.

A handcuffed Edwards, who is known as Eddo, waved to the boy who was standing with Edwards´ relatives. The victim's mother and other family members were also in the area as some residents who gathered to get a glimpse of the proceedings were seen whispering to each other.

At the scene also was Orvin `Basha´ Smith, who testified shortly before the visit to the scene, in defence of Edwards. He took the court team to his premises which is next door to the clinic where Harrigan was gunned down.

Smith testified that he knew Harrigan very well and also knew Larry [Vaughn Cameron], a key witness for the prosecution. Edwards' lawyer Stephen Daniels asked Smith if Cameron visited his home on March 15, 2011 and whether he had any reason to give Cameron a scale in March 2011 and Smith said no.

Earlier in the week Cameron testified that on March 15 he was told by Edwards to dispose of an empty box which had contained among other things guns, ammunition and marijuana. He had stated that Edwards then sent him to Basha´s [Smith] house for a scale so he can weigh the marijuana. Cameron testified that he got the scale and went back to Allen Wheatley´s house.

On the witness stand, Smith said he did not see Edwards on the night of March 16, 2011, and that Edwards and Harrigan were associates as he would see them together sometimes.

In relation to the shooting, Smith told the court that he was crossing from the foul barn going to his house when he heard three gunshots. He said Jrizzle [Henito Penn] and another guy were in the running pen and there were two other guys on the corner of the house.

In response to questions, Smith said after the shots he did not observe anyone in the clinic. He said after hearing the shots he continued to walk towards his house and at the time there were two guys, Keith and Kadeen running down the road. He said there was also a Spanish guy across the street banging on a door and at the same time looking back at the clinic.

Smith related to the court that his girlfriend was on the porch and he proceeded to the fence to see what the Spanish guy was looking at. He said he then went outside his gate and upon looking up the road he saw a body laying on the sidewalk. He said it was Harrigan.

Under cross examination by Prosecutor Valston Graham, Smith was asked if Edwards was his good friend and he said they are associates. Graham also asked if Edwards frequent his home and the witness said yes.

Graham also suggested to Smith that he was convicted in the
United States for second degree murder in 1990 and later deported to the BVI. Smith confirmed to the court that he pleaded guilty to murder, was sentenced to 30 years in prison and after serving 18 years he was deported from the U.S. on May 4, 2000.

Graham also suggested to the witness that Larry [Cameron] went to him on March 15 for a scale on behalf of Edwards and that he gave Larry that scale to take for Edwards. Smith again denied he had given Cameron a scale.

Also, Graham told the witness that he came to court to cover for Edwards to say that he didn´t give Larry the scale, but the witness replied, "I totally disagree."

During the court proceedings yesterday, Daniels called Inspector Adrian Kartik who had recorded an interview with Cameron´s then girlfriend, Samantha Gilbert, which was conducted on March 25, 2011. Kartik read Gilbert´s full statement in court. Kartik related that Gilbert is not in the Territory.

In the statement to police Gilbert said that she used to have small talk with Edwards as they were not personal friends, but would call him when she wants to get in contact with Cameron or vice versa.

She said that on March 23, 2011 she was at her work place at the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College when she received a call from Edwards´ brother enquring how she was doing and whether she had heard anything about Cameron. She said he told her that police had Cameron and a guy name Jrizzle.

Gilbert told police in her March 2011 statement that Edwards' child mother visited her at the office with her new born baby. She said the woman asked her for her number since Edwards wanted to get in contact with her.

She said later that afternoon Edwards called her and asked her if she heard from Cameron, but she told him she hadn´t heard from him at the time. Gilbert said Edwards then asked her if that is what the police told her to say.

The woman said she told Edwards that it was the truth and that the police also had her jeep and that she was catching rides. She said he did not want to stay on the phone for too long since Edwards thought the phones might be tapped.

She said he called her again later that evening asking the same questions and she gave him the same answers. She said Edwards told her, "police holding my boy, trying to turn him against me."

She related that Edwards advised her to get a lawyer since police have Cameron for a long time. Gilbert said he then told her to destroy Cameron´s phone and throw away the chip and that he will assist her with rides.

Gilbert in her statement said Edwards´ child mother also continued to encourage her to get a lawyer and even waited outside her work place one day to take her to a law firm.

The woman said Edwards then called and told her that she did not destroy the phone as yet and encouraged her to dip it into water and throw away the chip. However, she said a detective told her that he was coming for the phone and she handed it over to the police.

Gilbert gave the number that Edwards called from during that time period as 545-6337. Under cross examination, Prosecutor Graham asked Inspector Kartik if Edwards was calling Gilbert from prison. The Inspector said yes.

Baptiste said he will remain silent and did not call any witness. He is represented by lawyer Patrick Thompson.

On Tuesday, March 5 the defence lawyers and prosecutors will give their closing address to the jury which will be followed by the summation by the sitting Judge, and then the jurors will deliberate and deliver a verdict.