Latest update April 24th, 2024 12:59 AM
Feb 11, 2010 News
– defence witness fails to appear
Justice Winston Patterson is expected to sum up before the mixed jury today after both the prosecution and the defence closed their cases.
They will make their final submissions to the jury when the trial of murder accused Michele Skeete, 40, continues at the Berbice High Court.
Skeete, a mother of three, of Cumberland, East Canje, Berbice is charged with murdering her reputed husband, 48-year old Superintendent of Prisons, Lincoln Gilead, on the May 14, 2006 at the home they shared in Cumberland.
The Defence was forced to close its case after one of its witness, Deon Gilead, 21, the son of the couple failed to show up to give testimony despite many efforts. The Defence had also planned to re-cross-examine Detective Corporal Lennox Sears but he is away on a course and could not be contacted.
The trial, which began on Tuesday February 2, saw the prosecution, which is being conducted by State Counsel Dionne Mc Calmon calling six witnesses, including two of the deceased brothers to testify.
The first on the stand was Errol Gilead who told the court about his visit to the New Amsterdam Hospital after receiving a call from a neighbour around 01:30 hrs.
He claimed that at the hospital he noticed the burns on his brother’s body with his skin peeled .He also testified to speaking to both the deceased before he died and the doctor in attendance. His brother told him “You see what Michelle did to me”.
Government Pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh also testified about conducting a post mortem examination and he gave the cause of death as Septicemia.
Three policemen also took the witness stand.
Detective Sergeants Charles Brown, the lead investigator in the matter had his testimony interrupted by an objection by Defence counsel Charrandass Persaud, which prompted the Judge to conduct a voir dire to determine the admissibility of an oral confessing purportedly made by the accused Michele Skeete.
The voir dire ended with the judge admitting the evidence.
Detective Sergeant and police photographer Glenford Burnette also testified to his role in taking photographs from the scene of the incident, which was the couple’s home, and Detective Corporal Lennox Sears also testified to his role in assisting with the entire investigation.
The Defence called one witness, brother of the accused, Prison Officer Claude Skeete, who testified about accompanying his sister to the hospital and to the police station on the night in question. He told the jury that he was at his mother’s home not far away from the scene of the incident.
He said that he was awakened by the accused who asked him to accompany her.
Michele Skeete was committed to stand trial after it was found that a prima facie case was made out against her by Magistrate Geeta Chandan Persid-Edmond at the New Amsterdam Magistrate’s Court
Attorney at Law Mursaline Bacchus was retained as a special prosecutor in the matter while the late attorney at law Johnny Persaud had represented the accused.
Bacchus in presenting his case then had told the lower court that the incident had happened because of jealousy and hatred. He had said that Gilead was at home sleeping and the accused waited when she was certain that he was asleep, before dousing him and setting him alight.
Gilead was first rushed to the New Amsterdam Hospital and was later transferred to the Public Hospital Georgetown where he died seven days later, after enduring immense suffering and pain.
The accused was first charged with attempted murder, but was later charged with the capital offence.
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