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“Li’l Mark” murder accused set free
Freed: 24-year-old Dexter Marshall
The heavens smiled on Dexter Marshall yesterday when a unanimous verdict of not guilty was returned by a 12-member mixed jury who heard the murder case of Mark Caesar, called ‘Lil Mark’. Marshall hurriedly exited the court when Justice Roxanne George-Wiltshire told the accused that he was free to go. But not before he expressed sincere thanks to the jury which restored his freedom.
Justice George-Wiltshire told Marshall that he was very lucky since she believed that the evidence was strong enough. She however said that it was the decision of the jury and whatever they said was final.
Marshall and another were said to have murdered Caesar execution-style on October 1, 2010. Caesar was seated on a fire-hydrant when two men started to shoot at him from a motorcar. The men then exited the vehicle after the accused fell to the ground and pumped more shots into the deceased.
During the case, several persons including the star witness and brother of the deceased, Robby Jeffers, and state pathologist, Dr. Nehaul Singh, gave evidence. Jeffers was said to be an eyewitness to the crime. He claimed that he was seated away from his brother on the day in question when a car passed and stopped in another street.
He said two men shot at his brother who was seated on a fire hydrant on the corner. He said that his brother fell backwards after receiving the first set of gunshots and the assailants went over him to finish the job before escaping in the said motorcar.
The brother fingered Marshall as one of the shooters, but Attorney-at-law Hookumchand sought to discredit the witness by telling him that he made up the whole story just to get revenge for his dead brother.
Hookumchand during his cross examination; put to the prosecution witness that he was never at the scene of the crime at the time of the shooting. According to Hookumchand, the brother was in a barber shot in another street when the incident took place.
Jeffers however denied the lawyer’s claim but Hookumchand defended that the witness’s story was made up. Prior to Caesar’s death, there was another murder involving one Steve Jupiter called ‘Steve man.’ He too was killed execution style and is said to be the older brother of the accused.
Rumours surfaced that the accused avenged his brother’s death by executing Caesar. It was on this basis that the lawyer said the star witness made up his testimony.
Executed: Mark Caesar called ‘Lil Mark’
Dr. Singh said that the deceased was shot 12 times. Under the direction of State Prosecutors Rhondel Weaver and Natasha Barker, Dr Singh said that the ninth bullet fired at the deceased went through the right side of the skull and brain and exited through the left side.
The tenth bullet went through Caesar’s right temple, through the skull and brain and exited the left side. The eleventh bullet went through the deceased back, piercing his lungs and exiting through the left arm pit. This caused one-fifth of the blood in Caesar’s body to flood his lung, Singh said.
In Marshall’s unsworn statement he said that he played no part in the crime. He said that he was never associated with the star witness and was not called by the nick name “Deckie.” Last Wednesday, the court went to the murder scene and later that afternoon Hookumchand gave his closing arguments.
Thursday the prosecution gave their closing arguments and yesterday the court summed up the case before the jury deliberated.
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