The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A HOMICIDE detective claimed that during the investigation into the murder of a fast food restaurant manager, the prime suspect admitted to police he stabbed the victim.

Sergeant Basil Evans, of the Central Detective Unit, claimed that while near the entrance of Burger King on Tonique William-Darling Highway during a walk-through of various scenes related to the crime, Simeon Bain, now charged with murder, told officers he stabbed Rashad Morris.

Following this, he said, Bain took the officers to Cowpen Road to show them where he sold parts of the car used in the murder, and then to his apartment in the Haitain Village off Joe Farrington Road.

However, when asked by the defendant if he had a video recording proving what he said was true, the officer admitted that there were no police videographers available on New Years Eve 2009 – as all were busy preparing for the upcoming Junkanoo Parade.

Bain faces charges of murder, robbery, attempted robbery, housebreaking, and kidnapping in connection with the September 19, 2009 death of 21-year-old Morris.

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 and after failing to do so, was stabbed in the restaurant’s parking lot.

Bain denies the charges and is defending himself.

Prior to yesterday’s evidence from the detective, the court has heard from a key witness and close friend of the accused that Bain was “liking a boy” at the branch, planned to rob him and had gone to BaTelCo to buy a cellphone chip to text Rashad Morris – whom she also knew as “Shanti” – under the name “Dwayne”.

The witness said she was at the apartment when Bain pulled up with Morris and that she saw the two drive off sometime later.

Bain was wearing a black jean jacket, black jeans, a beige shirt and tennis shoes, the witness said, 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, she said.

In yesterday’s proceedings, Sgt Evans told the court that Bain was called in to CDU, cautioned, arrested and booked in at the station shortly before noon.

Bain, according to the officer, was removed from a holding cell around 2pm and taken to an interview room for questioning with himself and a female officer who was conducting the investigation.

“Was the interview recorded?” prosecutor Darnell Dorsett asked the officer.

“No ma’am,” he answered, adding that the recording device was not functioning at the time.

“Even if it was, he said, the technicians responsible for this function were not present due to other assignments.

“If someone is being beaten in the interview suites, someone would be able to hear?” the prosecutor asked.

“Yes,” the officer answered.

Sgt Evans told the court that his female colleague told Bain that he was suspected of the September 2009 murder of Rashad Morris and asked him if he required the presence of an attorney before continuing.

Bain reportedly declined, and a series of questions were put to him before he was asked if he also wished to give a statement in addition to the record of interview.

Once this was done, Bain signed the documents, the officer said.

“Did you beat Simeon Bain to make that record of interview or caution statement?” the prosecutor asked.

“No ma’am,” the officer said. He also denied that he or the investigating officer offered promises, inducements, or threatened Bain.

Sgt Evans said Bain opted to take them through the scenes of the crime, starting with Burger King.

Bain, according to Evans, took them to the office where the safe containing money was held before he took them back out to the entrance, where “he said he had stabbed Rashad Morris”.

The officer said Bain took them to Cowpen Road west where he pointed to a home and claimed to have sold his car parts to a man after stripping the vehicle used during the crime.

He then took them to a bushy area on East West Highway where he said he discarded the knife.

Evans said they were unable to recover a knife.

Inside a Joe Farrington apartment, officers observed the accused’s tennis shoes and walking through the house, Bain asked if he could carry his Bible with him before being taken back to CDU, the officer testified.

“He seemed remorseful at the time,” Evans said.

During cross-examination, Bain asked the officer if he took them to Burger King.

“Yes,” Evans answered.

“Was video people recording?” Bain asked next, but the detective reiterated that there were no technicians available that day.

“Does Burger King have any surveillance?” the accused asked.

“Yes,” the officer answered.

“To show professionalism in your investigation, shouldn’t your team consider getting the footage of the establishment that day, where Simeon Bain is showing you these things?” the accused asked.

“We could’ve, but I’m not the investigator,” Sgt Evans said.

“You’re just a tag along?” Bain asked.

“If you call it that,” the detective answered.

Bain put it to Evans that his evidence to the court was all lies but the officer disagreed.

Bain further suggested that Evans attempted to attack him during the interview.

The officer denied and dismissed the claim.

Bain finally alleged that the record of interview and caution statement was extracted from him by force.

Sgt Evans said this never occurred.

The trial resumes today before Justice Indra Charles.