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by pltm
(PLTM) - "...He was not the shooter," Attorney-At-Law Patrick Thompson told the nine member jury sitting on the murder trial involving his client, Kenyatta Boynes, known as Yhats.
Thompson went on to point out several alleged flaws in the Prosecution's case, including the main issue of identification- where he suggested that the crown's case of ID of Boynes as the shooter on the fatal night of December 14, 2014, was conflicting between two witnesses who testified.
Boynes is charged with the murder of Paul Prentice who was gunned down execution style while running for his life on the Waterfront Drive public road. He is also charged with the attempted murder of another young man, who the crown alleges was the intended target.
The young man was not hit during the shooting as he managed to escape the bullets. It is the crown's case that Boynes was after the young man over a handful of missing marijuana.
Thompson told the jury this morning during his closing address that, they ought not to play detectives in the jury room, as their task is to look at the evidence carefully and determine whether the crown has proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. He said that if they have any doubt, then they ought to return a not guilty verdict.
The lawyer, speaking to the crown's case, said that the issue of identification brings about some conflicting accounts.
He spoke to the account provided by witness Mr Kevin Gill, who he said was a mere bystander, simply buying ice cream at the parlour next door to the Car Rental, when the shooting occurred.
He said that Gill has no 'dog in the race', and has no reason to be untruthful.
Thompson stated that, Gill testified that, he saw the shooter from behind, and he was a tall person about 6 feet, and that he did not see any dreadlocks down his back.
The lawyer said then on the other hand, there is the crown's star witness, the young man who was allegedly the intended target, stating that he saw that it was Boynes.
He said that the witness claimed that, the shooter was 5'6-5'7, and his locks was down his back. He also claimed that he saw his eyes which he knew to be Boynes.
"...They have witnesses with conflicting description of the shooter," the lawyer said.
He also pointed out some flaws in the CCTV, WhatsApp, and cell sites evidence.
Thompson put forward several inconsistencies with the star witness's evidence, and told the jury that it is up to them to 'pick sense out of nonsense', on his evidence and the way in which he chose to answer some of the questions.
He also spoke to the shooting three weeks before the fatal night which allegedly involved a group out of Baughers Bay and the S.O.B group.
Thompson said that, the investigating officer, did not follow other leads in the case, including the alleged beef between the Baughers Bay group and S.O.B.
The case was prosecuted by Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Kim Hollis, QC, and Senior Crown Counsel Leslie Ann Faulkner.
Tomorrow morning, Justice Nicola Byer will sum up the case to the jury and they will then deliberate on the evidence provided during the trial, which will be followed by a verdict later in the afternoon.
