By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
MARINE Seaman Calvin Hanna hid behind an office desk in Government House’s guardroom to avoid being shot by another marine who is accused of killing their superior in 2019, a jury heard.
Able Seaman Jevon Seymour is charged with the shooting death of Petty Officer Percival Perpall, along with the attempted murders of Marine Seaman Hanna and Ellis Rahming.
According to police reports, the three officers were attacked while on duty at Government House.
They were said to be in a guardroom when an assailant entered and opened fire on them around 2.30am Sunday, April 28, 2019.
Seymour has maintained his not guilty plea during his trial before Senior Justice Bernard Turner.
When Marine Seaman Hanna took the stand yesterday, he said he was posted to Government House at the time of the incident.
He said after 2am on April 28, he began his patrol by heading east to ensure the eastern gate of the property was locked and secured. After this, he said, he made his way around the western portion of the property before heading upstairs to the guardroom where PO Perpall and Marine Seaman Rahming were.
He said PO Perpall was sitting on a couch that was stationed on the left side of the guardroom. He said after he wrote in the log book, he stood up and conversed with Officer Perpall for about five minutes.
A short time later, Marine Seaman Hanna said he heard the “cocking of a gun” and when he looked through the guardroom’s door, he saw Seymour.
“He stood by the doorway, pulled a gun from his waist — it was a 9mm. He pointed it at Perpall and began firing,” he stated. “He was outside when I first saw him, the door had a glass panel you can see through.”
The marine said when he first heard the cocking of the gun he was not alarmed because marines usually conducted safety checks of their weapons before entering the guardroom.
However, he claimed when Seymour came inside he drew his .9mm pistol.
“Once he came inside, he pointed it at Perpall and began firing, then he pointed it at me (and) I threw myself to the floor behind the office desk to the right. I saw his face for about five seconds when he first entered. He fired the gun about four to five times at Perpall...He did not hit me when he fired at me. I think he fired two shots at me.”
Marine Seaman Hanna said when Seymour pointed the gun in his direction, he saw his face for a few seconds before he took cover. He said Seymour then ran out of the guardroom in an eastern direction and was chased by another marine named Gaitor, who was also on duty at the time.
He added that at that point, Perpall was gasping for air and Seaman Rahming came out and called the EMS and other RBDF officers for help. He said when the police arrived at the scene, they also tested for gun residue and he and Officer Gaitor told them they did not fire a weapon.
On April 29, Mr Hanna said he went to the Central Detective Unit where he identified Seymour in a 12-man photo line up.
Seymour is represented by attorney Murrio Ducille. During his cross-examination, Mr Hanna told him when Seymour first pulled the gun out of his waist, he “did nothing”. He also said when the first shot was fired he was in “shock and stood still.”
Mr Ducille also referred to a photograph of the office desk that Mr Hanna claimed to take cover behind and noted the desk appeared to be “well-organised”. Given the relatively small space displayed in the photograph exhibit, he also suggested “there was no way” Mr Hanna could get himself behind the chair of the desk.
In response, Mr Hanna said he had a “small frame” and noted the seat was a rolling chair.
Yesterday, Sergeant Antwoine Hamilton also testified. He said on April 28,2019, he was on duty when he received information from the police control room which prompted him to proceed to a location off Carmichael Road.
He said after searching the area “extensively” for a Kia Optima, they found the vehicle parked in the front of a white apartment complex where they later discovered Seymour.
Sgt Hamilton said when he spoke with the accused, he told him he got home 10-15 minutes earlier and had just left a Junkanoo party. He said when he left there, he dropped a colleague home before returning to his own residence.
Sgt Hamilton is expected to continue his testimony today at 10am.
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