Michael Jack, who is accused of murdering his half brother Tishawn Henley, appeared in the High Court on July 15, 2013 for the start of the trial. Photo: VINO

Michael Jack (in photo) is on trial for the alleged murder of half-brother Tishawn Henley. Photo: Facebook

Tishawn Henley, 26, reportedly died from a single stab wound to the chest following a heated argument with his sibling at George's North Side, Tortola, on November 6, 2012. Photo: File

The police officer said he had known Jack for over three years and on the evening of November 6, 2013 he was in conversation more than once with the defendant. During one of those conversations, the officer alleged, Jack explained a situation involving his brother and was seeking information about obtaining a restraining order, which he provided.

According to the witness, during a subsequent phone conversation the very night with the accused, Jack allegedly told him of a scenario which led to him stabbing his brother. He said that he was not told which brother he was referring to but explained that Jack allegedly told him that he had gone to the home of his brother for reasons which he explained.

The Officer testified that while still at the George’s Northside house, his brother came down stairs and was arguing with him during which time the accused was allegedly punched twice in the face. He told the court that Jack confessed that he took a knife that he had on his person and stabbed his brother.

Detective Sergeant Prevost told the court that he enquired about the brother’s condition from Jack but did not get that information from him at that time.

He said that he later received a ‘BB’ message from someone else informing him that someone was killed. This prompted him to make a phone call to the Road Town Police Station and obtained some information. He related to a senior officer his conversation with Jack and was given some instructions.

The witness said he subsequently called the murder accused and told him that his brother was dead, advised him to turn himself in and also gave him the option of being taken in.

Jack was later arrested at his East End home by Detective Sergeant Prevost and was at the time standing on the outside of his apartment.

At the time Jack was cautioned, he allegedly said he didn’t know the whereabouts of the knife that was used, the Detective told the court.

See previous story posted July 16, 2013

UPDATE: ‘It wouldn’t end like this’ Jack allegedly said prior to stabbing brother

-Victim’s girlfriend admits under cross-examination that accused did say ‘Call the Popo and tell them I stabbed him’

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – As the trial of murder accused Michael Jack continued in the High Court yesterday July 15, 2013 before Justice Albert Redhead, a neighbour of Tishawn Henley’s family, his girlfriend and father took to the witness box to give evidence. The neighbour told the court that she overheard Jack saying “not this time, it wouldn't end like this it wouldn't be like this.”

It wouldn’t end like this

The neighbour reflected on the day in question that Tishawn Henley was stabbed to death at George’s Northside. She told the court that she got home that afternoon November 6, 2012, sometime after 5 P.M. and while in her bathroom she heard a heated argument emanating from the yard where Henley resided. “It was loud and there was a fair amount of profanity.”

The witness said she got dressed and went outside to see what was happening. Looking from the stairs of her home to where the argument was coming from, she alleged that she saw Michael Jack and recalled, “I remember him (Michael) saying not this time it wouldn’t end like this, it wouldn’t be like this, something like that.”

She recalled seeing Jack turning as if he was getting into his vehicle at which time she turned to go back into her house. Shortly after she heard screaming which she said she initially ignored but then ran outside and up her driveway. From where she stood she noticed a body on the ground. She then called her husband and 999, grabbed two towels and went to the body and the young lady that was there at the time.

Girlfriend’s testimony

The girl that was beside the body of Henley as referred to by Ms Baptiste was the girlfriend of Tishawn Henley, Cacey Christopher who also testified in the trial yesterday. She was very bold in her testimony but eventually broke into tears and was unable to speak for approximately 45 seconds.

Ms Christopher and Mr Henely were reportedly together from October 2011 and she said she had known Jack to be his brother. She said she had no knowledge of the two having any previous ‘bad blood’. She described them as having had a good relationship and had never seen them in any confrontations.

Recalling that fateful day, November 6, 2012 while at her now deceased boyfriend’s home in Gorge’s Northside, she said she witnessed an argument and fight between the two brothers.

That afternoon Tishawn had left his room and went out of the house unto a porch-like area which overlooked the downstairs of the house from where he started calling out to Michael in an angry manner, the witness said. He returned to his room and went outside. “I followed him to the front door.”

Tishawn reportedly went to where his brother Michael was while his girlfriend remained at the door but she was allegedly unable to see Michael at that time from where she stood. She testified that she overheard Tishawn speaking loudly to Michael who subsequently got out of the vehicle he was in at the time and went on his mobile phone. She said she recalled hearing her boyfriend saying “He don’t care who Michael call he just want back his thing.”

Michael started responding to Tishawn about not having the antennae. “Tishawn continued to make mention of him (Michael) taking the antennae and then went to the passenger side of the Vitara vehicle and asked the occupant to remove the vehicle from the yard,” said Ms Christopher. The occupant of the vehicle allegedly did not comply.

Michael attempted to leave but Tishawn allegedly prevented him from doing so

As Michael appeared to have been getting ready to leave Tishawn went to the driver’s side of the vehicle and blocked the door of the vehicle and told Micheal that he was not leaving until he got back his antennae.

“After that I saw Tishawn push Michael causing Michael’s cell phone to fall out of his hand.” The witness said that resulted in both pushing each other. “I saw Tishawn then held his lower stomach area.” She added that she had called out to Tishawn to come to her.

It was at that stage the witness said that she went out to the porch-like area of the house.  “Michael turned in my direction and I saw a shiny like object appeared to be in his right hand. He told me call the police and tell them I stabbed him.”

Michael then allegedly got into the vehicle and left in a hurry. Tishaun, the witness said, then ran down the embankment after Michael had left. Ms Christopher said ran to where Tishawn was. “He was on his knees holding the area where he was stabbed.” The witness said she then went and grabbed her cell phone and called 911.

By the time she returned, the witness continued, Tishawn was a bit closer to the home but at that stage he was lying on his stomach. Persons started arriving on the scene and she said she was being very frantic. Tishawn was allegedly turned over and towels were placed on his wound.

Pushing no punching

Under cross examination by Attorney at law Stephen Daniels, Ms Christopher admitted that Michael Jack had told her to call the police and inform them that it was he who stabbed his brother Tishawn Henely. She confirmed that he had spoken to her in a reporting manner.

Daniel had put it to her that Tishawn had punched Michael Jack in the face but she insisted that she only saw a pushing and not a punching as suggested by Daniels. She confirmed that she did not see how Tishawn was stabbed. Prior to that day, she said, there was no bad blood between the two brothers.

Odaine Henley, the father of the deceased, also took to the witness box and recalled the last moments spent with his son as he was the one to transport him home that fateful afternoon.

He told the court in tears that both brothers had lived part of their lives with him and that he loved Michael, who was not his biological child, like a son as they shared a very close relationship.

 “Michael is like a son to me, I know Michael all his years.”

See previous article posted July 15, 2013

“Call the popo & tell them I stabbed him up” Jack allegedly told brother's girlfriend

-Michael Jack on trial for alleged murder of half-brother Tishawn Henley

Senior Crown Counsel Leslie-Ann Faulkner told the High Court this morning, July 15, 2013 that after murder accused Michael Jack had allegedly stabbed his half brother Tishawn Henley, he said “Call the popo and tell them I stabbed him up”. Those words were allegedly directed to the girlfriend of Henley.

Ms Faulkner was at the time giving opening statements in the murder trial of Michael Jack. The incident allegedly occurred on November 6, 2012 at George’s Northside, Tortola. The Senior Crown Counsel told the court that the two were half brothers of the same mother.

On the day in question, the court was told that Jack had visited the residence of his mother where his brother also lived. An argument ensued between the two after Henley allegedly approached Jack about an antenna. The confrontation led to a heated argument between the two and Jack allegedly stabbed his brother in the region of the chest. Jack allegedly had what was described as a kitchen knife, which was used to inflict the deadly wound.

Ms Faulkner continued that following the statement made by Jack to his wounded brother, he got into his vehicle and fled the scene. The argument and stabbing incident were allegedly witnessed by Henley’s girlfriend, who was in the upstairs apartment of the house where Henley resided.

The trial will see some 16 witnesses giving evidence and, according to Faulkner, will see a mixture in the type of evidence and witnesses, some of whom were in the area at the time of the incident, including Tishawn Henley’s girlfriend.

The first witness called in the hearing this morning July 15, 2013 was Detective Sergeant attached to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF), Wendell Valentine. During his testimony, Mr Valentine told the court that when he had arrived on the scene a number of police officers were already there. He recalled see two clumps of blood on one side of the road and that the area was already cordoned off. He recalled taking a number of photographs including that of a knife that was on the ground at the scene. He described the knife as being “old” with a black broken handle and appeared to have been there for a period of time.