Lawyer traps senior cop in cross-examination

May 31, 2019 News

The attorney for the Police Constable, who was charged for willfully attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to Mar

Police Constable John Holder

yann Daby matter, yesterday trapped one of the witnesses under cross examination.
Police Constable, John Holder, is the key witness in the matter involving businesswoman Maryann Daby, who is accused of attempting to kill a police officer.
He was not required to plead to the charge which stated that between August 10 and October 2, last, at Georgetown, he willfully attempted to pervert the course of justice by deviating from his statement dated May 13, 2018, in the case involving Police vs Maryann Daby.
Yesterday when Holder’s matter was called in the courtroom of Acting Chief Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus, Superintendent of Police, Gary McAllister, took the stand to testify at the hearing.
In his testimony, the senior cop stated that he is in charge of perusing crime files brought before him. He said that he was going through the statements presented by Holder and Police Constable Christopher Kissoon, and found variances in their statements, although they claimed they were together at the time of the incident.
Holder is the victim in relation to the Daby matter,
McAllister said that he confronted Holder about the discrepancies and told him to sit with Kissoon and ensure their statements were in sync.
Attorney-at-Law Steven Roberts, the attorney for Holder, under cross-examination pointed the witness back to this statement in his testimony. McAllister was then asked to confirm that he indeed told Holder to deviate from his statements by telling him to ensure the two statements were in sync.
However, McAllister held out that he did not tell the defendant to change his statement, only to ensure that it was in sync with Kissoon’s.
Holder is saying that the difference was that at first the policeman said that he saw Daby pointing the firearm at Kissoon and pulling the trigger. However, he now says that he did not see that; rather he was taken up with another individual at the time.
Two other witnesses also testified at the hearing yesterday. They both gave evidence in relation to Holder coming clean about his statement being allegedly changed based on instructions from a senior cop. The matter was then adjourned until July 8, 2019 for the continuation.
Holder was released on $300,000 bail for the matter when it was first called. According to the facts of the charge, Holder gave several statements in relation to the Daby matter.
The court heard that while Holder was testifying in the attempted murder PI which is being conducted by Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, he deviated from his statement and told the court that a top ranking officer instructed him to change his statement to support his colleague.
In connection with the Daby matter she is accused of pointing a loaded gun at a police officer’s head and pulling the trigger, in an attempt to kill him.
She was not required to plead to the charge which alleged that on May 13, 2018, at Albert Street, Thomas Lands, Georgetown, with intent to commit murder, she attempted to discharge a loaded firearm at Police Constable Christopher Kissoon.
Daby is also charged for having an unlicensed pistol and six live rounds on the same date and at the same location. She denied these two charges when it was read to her.
According to reports, on the day in question Daby and her friends were at the Georgetown Motor Racing and Sports Club. Constable Kissoon, who was off-duty and was at the Club at the time, reportedly heard what appeared to be gunshots.
While checking for the source of the gunfire, he reportedly saw Daby firing rounds into the air. He said that he confronted her. Daby then allegedly pointed a firearm to the officer’s head and pulled the trigger.
Daby, 25, of 127 D’Aguiar Park, Houston, Georgetown, is currently out on $750,000 High Court bail. She is being represented by Attorney-at-Law Mark Waldron.