‘Nasty Man’ declares innocence in footballer’s murder

Jun 20, 2018 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

Delon Henry who is on trial for allegedly murdering ‘Back Circle’ footballer, Dexter Griffith, almost three years ago, told a jury yesterday, that he is innocent of the crime.

MURDER ACCUSED: Delon Henry

Henry, known as ‘Nasty Man’, who had been charged for another murder before, is alleged to have shot and killed Griffith, formerly of Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, on September 29, 2015 at ‘Warlock’ East Ruimveldt Georgetown.
The murder accused, who has retained Attorney-at-law Adrian Thompson, is on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member mixed jury at the High Court in Georgetown. Prosecutors Lisa Cave and Orinthia Schmidt are presenting the State’s case.
When the trial continued yesterday, Henry was called on to lead a defence after Police Inspector Neville Jeffers was the final witness to testify for the prosecution.
Thereafter, Henry elected to give an unsworn testimony from the prisoner’s dock. According to the 26-year-old murder accused, he denied any involvement in the crime when he was arrested by police.
Pointing out that he was nowhere close to where the shooting took place, Henry told the court, “I living till on the East Bank (of Demerara), and I don’t even know the area ‘Warlock’. He said that during his time in police custody, he complained to police ranks and told them, “I don’t know about this murder. I did not shoot anybody.”
The murder accused is last known to be residing at Houston, East Bank Demerara.
Through his lawyer, Henry indicated that he had no witnesses to call on his behalf.
For his part, Police Corporal Munilall Persaud who is stationed at the Special Organized Crime Unit (SOCU) told the court that during 2015, he was stationed at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Headquarters, Eve Leary.
According to the police witness, on October 06, 2015, he was performing duties when he received certain instructions from Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Trevor Reid. Based on what he was told by his superior, Corporal Persaud told the court that he contacted Henry who was in custody at CID, Headquarters.
The witness went on to tell the court that in his presence, ASP Reid informed Henry that he would be conducting an identification parade, and that his photograph will be placed among those of other persons of similar description.
The court heard from the police witness that Henry was informed that investigation into the murder of Griffith was the reason for his photograph being placed on an identification parade. The murder accused was cautioned and had no objections to this being done, the witness disclosed.
Detailing the lineup of the identification parade, Corporal Persaud recalled that a photograph of Henry was placed in the #10 position, and that Keshawn Griffith, the brother of the deceased, later went on to point out Henry as a suspect in the killing.

MURDERED: Dexter Griffith

He added that Henry was once again cautioned by ASP Reid, who had informed him that he was identified as a suspect. During cross-examination by counsel for the murder accused, it was put to Corporal Persaud that Henry did not tell ASP Reid he had “no problem” with the identification parade.
In fact, the counsel suggested to the witness that his client had only told police that his photograph was published, (on October 5, 2015) the day prior to the identification parade, in the newspapers in which he was labeled a suspect.
Corporal Persaud did not agree with this suggestion stating that he did not see a photo of Henry published in the newspapers. Asked by counsel if he would have told his superior of his concerns in relation to fairness to Henry if he had seen the picture published in the newspapers, the police witness said that ASP Reid is his supervisor and it would have been unfair for him to do so.
Counsel further asked the witness if he would reprimand his superior, who, in his opinion is doing something wrong. But Corporal Persaud maintained that he would at all times comply with instructions from his superior, and then complain afterwards.
Facing re-examination by Prosecutor Cave, Corporal Persaud was reminded during the preliminary inquiry (PI) he never mentioned that Henry told ASP Reid that his photograph was printed in the newspapers. Responding, the police witness maintained that his failure to mention such information during the (PI) might have been an oversight on his part.
Police Inspector Neville Jeffers, a prosecutor attached to the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), also testified. His role in the trial was to tender into evidence a deposition taken from former Police Constable Maxwell Grant, during the PI, which was conducted by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.
The former police rank is said to be out of the jurisdiction.
Justice Kissoon will sum of the evidence in the trial tomorrow morning before putting the case to the jury for deliberation.