The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE man accused of plotting to rob Burger King on Tonique Williams-Darling Highway allegedly told a close friend, a former colleague of that branch’s former manager, that he was “liking a boy” at the branch and planned to rob him.

The prosecution witness, who cannot be identified for her protection, told the court the man she lived with, Simeon Bain, had gone to BaTelCo to buy a cellphone chip to text Rashad Morris, whom she also knew as ‘Shanti’, under the name ‘Dwayne.’

Bain faces a charge each of murder, robbery, attempted robbery, housebreaking, and kidnapping in the September 19, 2009 death of 21-year-old Morris.

The witness told the court that to her knowledge, Morris never responded to the text messages from ‘Dwayne’ during the week that led up to September 19.

Morris was kidnapped from the Charlotte Street branch of Burger King and taken to the highway branch where he had been the manager. He was ordered to open the safe. However, when he was unable to do so, he was beaten, stabbed and left to die in the restaurant’s parking lot.

Bain denies the charges and is defending himself.

The witness told Director of Public Prosecutions Vinette Graham-Allen that she knew Rashad Morris as ‘Shanti.’

They began their training together at Burger King on Prince Charles Drive in September 2008, though she said she left the franchise early in 2009 when she moved to Freeport.

After returning to New Providence she moved into Elizabeth Estates with Bain who then worked on Paradise Island.

Morris called her in April 2009 to tell her about his recent promotion. Bain was lying next to her in bed, she said.

Bain asked if the person on the other end of the call, whom he was able to hear, was a boy and she said he was and that he was a friend.

“He said ‘he’s gay?’ I answered ‘most naturally’” the witness claimed.

A week later, Bain asked her if Morris had the combinations to the safe because he and some friends were planning a few robberies over Christmas but would rather take a chance with Burger King than Kentucky because Morris worked there.

“Simeon said he was liking this boy at Burger King and was planning to rob him,” the witness said.

Bain had gone into BaTelCo to buy a chip to text Morris as ‘Dwayne’ and when a date was made, he would go and pick up Morris from Burger King. Morris answered the text messages on the day in question and agreed to be picked up by Bain.

The witness was at the apartment when Bain pulled up with Morris. The two drove off sometime later.

Bain was wearing a black jean jacket, black jeans, a beige shirt and tennis shoes, said the witness adding that he also had on beige gloves and a tam.

Bain later returned to the apartment and told her that he had stabbed Rashad and had to get rid of his clothes because blood got all over them and that he got rid of the car in the South Beach Canal.

The witness said she hadn’t had sexual relations with either Morris or Bain, that Bain was right handed and that at no time did she tell him to stop or tell the police. She made no attempts to warn Rashad.

She gave her statement to police three months after the incident, and when asked why, said: “I was scared.”

Prior to the woman taking the stand, the jury saw footage collected from security cameras at the highway restaurant by Detective Corporal Wilma Munroe.

They saw Morris, dressed in his red shirt and black trousers uniform, being shoved into the restaurant by a heavily built assailant clad in black, wearing a mask and white gloves.

The footage showed a small office area where Morris and the assailant entered. Morris was seen looking at a paper then trying to open the safe but was unsuccessful. The robber grabbed Morris by the neck with his left arm and Morris shoved it away only to receive a left hook to his face. Morris fought back but was lifted off the ground and shoved into the wall before being taken out.

The jury then saw Morris being shoved out of the restaurant.

Louis Morris, the mother of the victim who testified that she had last seen her son the morning when he left for work, sat in court watching the footage.

Bain, cross-examining Cpl Munroe, asked if the officer noticed that the robber used his left hand predominantly during the incident. The officer said yes.

“I’m right handed. Did you know that?” the accused asked Cpl Munroe.

“No I didn’t,” Cpl Munroe said.

The trial resumes on Monday.