Allen Baptiste (right) and Yan Edwards after their High Court appearance on Monday February 25, 2013. Photo: VINO

A key witness in the ongoing Keri Harrigan (in picture) murder trial involving Mr Yan Edwards and Mr Allan Baptiste told the High Court today, February 25, 2013 that himself, Harrigan were part of a group that was “smoking weed” shortly before the shooting to death of Mr Harrigan occurred on March 16, 2011. Photo:File

[L-R] Allen Baptiste and Yan Edwards after their court appearance on Monday October 15, 2012. Photo: VINO/File

"My food dropped out my mouth," key witness Mr Deshon Richards told the court this morning February 26, 2013. It was his second day before the jury.

Mr Richards at the time was being asked to recalled his activities of the fateful day of March 16, 2011. He said that evening he was in his car in close proximity to a resident's home in Long Look when he was asked for a phone call by a person whose name was given as Larry Shaw. He said he left his car, went across the road and gave the man the phone to make a call.

The witness said he was not aware who Shaw had called but he (Shaw) had the phone for about ten minutes before returning it. Shortly after he said he heard the sound of a gunshot and "my food dropped out my mouth."

Mr Richards further testified that there were a total of three shots heard and that Shaw was still standing in the opposite direction of him when the shots were heard. He said that shortly after someone called his phone and he alleged to have recognised the voice to have been that of Yan Edwards. The caller, he alleged, asked for Shaw but Richards said he told him "he not here". According to Richards, he was positive that the voice on the other end of the phone was that of Edwards as he was well acquainted with him.

The witness, Mr Deshon Richards, also seemed to have been contradicting his testimony when he said he never spoke to Yan Edwards on his mobile phone prior to the night in question.

He was cross examined by defence attorney Mr Stephen Daniels along the lines of the earlier responses and questions asked of him by senior Crown Council Mr Valston Graham.

The story told by the next witness of the day, Henrito R. Penn, so far spoke of himself, Edwards and Baptiste allegedly collecting, examining, loading firearm and leaving the home of another man whose name was given as Allen Wheatley.

Mr Penn spent time describing guns and ammunition which they had allegedly collected in a 6x3 ft cartoon package on March 15, 2011. He told the court that while Edwards had allegedly kept a loaded 45 calibre firearm, he (Penn) took the other two guns and hid them at his grandmother's home.

See previous article posted on February 26, 2013

Key witnesses in Harrigan murder trial had to be summoned- source

- second key witness to continue testimony today

According to reliable information reaching Virgin Islands News Online, the two key witnesses in the ongoing Keri Harrigan murder trial in the High Court gave their testimony on February 25, 2013 but not necessarily willingly as they both reportedly had to be summoned to appear in court.

According to a reliable source, the High Court had issued a Court Order for both witnesses who were then approached by ranks of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF).

Earlier yesterday, Mr Keithroy Joseph of Long Look, told the High Court that himself and Harrigan were part of a group that was “smoking weed” shortly before the shooting to death of Mr Harrigan on March 16, 2011. The witness also told the court that he had lost a significant amount of weight since the incident.

A second witness in the Keri Harrigan murder trial involving Mr Yan Edwards and Mr Allen Baptiste took the Oath and commenced his testimony yesterday afternoon February 25, 2013 in the High Court before Justice Albert Redhead.

Mr Deshon Richards, a resident of Long Look, East End, commenced his testimony with questions being posed to him by Senior Crown Counsel Valston Graham who asked several times if he could have recalled the date March 16, 2011 and they man repeatedly responded in the negative.

He was then asked if he had given and signed a statement with the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) to which he responded "Yes". He also told the court that the statement was not re-read to him prior to him signing it.

Following an application by the senior crown counsel at the request of the witness to have his memory refreshed, the witness was shown the statement on which he identified his signature. He was again asked if he could recall the date and responded to the affirmative.

He told the court that on the evening in question he was in his car under the resident of a woman. He also admitted that he was the lawful owner of mobile telephone number from CCT 441-6646, one of the numbers for which the court had ordered the records from CCT.

The witness is expected to return to the box today, February, 26, 2013 after his testimony was cut short when Senior Crown Counsel Valston Graham requested a deliberation about the witness in the absence of the Jury and the witness.

See previous article posted on February 25, 2013

Harrigan was smoking “weed” prior to his slaying- Witness

-Key witness testifies that shooter had on a “Halloween mask”

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI - A key witness in the ongoing Keri Harrigan murder trial involving Mr Yan Edwards and Mr Allen Baptiste told the High Court today, February 25, 2013 that himself, Harrigan were part of a group that was “smoking weed” shortly before the shooting to death of Mr Harrigan occurred on March 16, 2011.

Mr Keithroy Joseph of Long Look, a key witness in the trial, told the court that he had lost a significant amount of weight since the 2011 incident.

Called by the Crown to testify, Joseph told the court that himself and the deceased were together at several times during the ill fated day. He recollected that earlier in the day they had gone to the “ghetto” where Harrigan had gone to visit a cousin. They had reportedly parted from each other at that stage but were back together later the very day when Harrigan was assisting a 'brother' to remove some sand from the frontage of a yard and had spent approximately one hour before leaving for his home.

Harrigan, he said, returned during the evening at about 7 P.M. The witness said he was at the time with two peers whose names were given as “David” and “Boogie”.

It was at that stage, the witness said, that Harrigan brought a bag of Marijuana 'weed', went and sat over at the front area of the Long look Clinic and was then joined by the witness. A man named "Kadeen" was said to have been in the company of Harrigan at the time.

The witness told the court that at that time Harrigan was dressed in a black cap and shirt complete with a pair of blue jeans.

Mr Joseph said that as he was finished smoking he stood up as he was preparing to head home. He, however, bent over to play with Harrigan's dog and upon raising his head noticed a gunman wearing a full figured mask, which when asked to describe, said resembled a Halloween mask. He also said the individual was dressed in a black suit with white lining.

At that stage, Mr Joseph said, Keri Harrigan was backing both the witness and the gun man and he (Joseph) said that upon noticing the gum man armed with what he described as a 9mm gun, he stepped back and was mumbling trying to tell Harrigan to run.

He said he then ran from the scene shortly after and after hearing three gun shots, was convinced that it was at the said location where Harrigan was.

Shortly after the shots rang out, Mr Joseph said he returned to the scene where he saw Harrigan on the ground with his face covered with blood and a crowd surrounding him.

One of the defence’s lawyers had just started cross examining the witness when the court recessed to resume later this afternoon.

Prior to the key witness taking the stand, two others had given testimony today February 25, 2013, CCT employee Mr. Arnold C. Smith who submitted records of two of four numbers ordered by the court.

The other witness was Forensic Scientist Mr. Maurice L. Cooper of St. Criox, USVI. Mr Cooper specialises in firearm identification.

Yan Edwards and Allen Baptiste are faced with the charge of murder in the death of Keri Harrigan, allegedly committed in the area of the Long Look Clinic on March 16, 2011. The two have pleaded not guilty to all the charges brought before them. Edwards is represented by Stephen Daniels and Baptiste by Patrick Thompson while Senior Crown Counsels Valston Graham and Christlyn Benjamin lead the prosecution of the case.