The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE prosecution closed its case yesterday without calling the lead detective in the murder investigation into the armed robbery and shooting of businessman Leslie Maycock – and who is accused by the defendants, along with several officers, of police brutality.

Dudley Seide Jr and Corderold Wallace, aka Corderold Miller, are on trial for the murder and armed robbery on July 15, 2009 of Mr Maycock, the owner of the Hawksbill Mini Mart. The 50-year-old retired police sergeant was robbed by two men and shot in the stomach after closing the business. They took his black pouch containing $800-$900. Mr Maycock died of his injuries eight days later in the ICU at Rand Memorial Hospital.

Yesterday the lead prosecutor wrapped the case and informed the Supreme Court in Grand Bahama that she would not be providing further evidence as Dr W Nesbitt and Police Sergeant 772 Johnson were not in the jurisdiction. The defence will open its case today. Before closing its case, the prosecution called a doctor and several police officers to give evidence.

Dr Perez informed the court that police had brought Seide in for examination. He said Seide complained of pain in the right ear. On examination, he discovered redness inside the external canal of the ear, a sign of early ear infection. Dr Perez diagnosed him with having otitis externa, also known as swimmer’s ear. He prescribed Augmentin and Motrin.

Dr Perez said he wrote the diagnosis on a police form and gave the prescription to a police officer. When asked by attorney Simeon Brown if his client could have got the infection from excessive water exposure and or by having his head dunked under water, Dr Perez said yes, it is possible.

But Dr Perez said there also other things that could be the cause of an ear infection, including a cough and cold, putting dirty fingers inside the ear or being out late at night in the draught. He said that a person does not have to be swimming in the water to get swimmer’s ear.

During evidence given in court, it was alleged that during the wee hours of August 30, 2009, Sgt 772 Johnson along with several officers had taken the defendants to Barbary Beach where they were stripped of their clothing, hog tied and taken into the sea where their heads were repeatedly dunked under the water to make them confess.

Officers Kosygen Ewing, Darcy Williams and Edison McSweeney said they assisted Sgt Johnson and denied that it happened. The officers said they assisted Sgt Johnson when he took the suspects on inquiries to Hawksbill and Imperial Park in search of the firearm and the black pouch.

While at Hawksbill they went to a track road and searched the bushy area where Seide told Sgt Johnson he had hidden the gun and pouch, but nothing was found there. They then went to Imperial Gardens, where they searched a residence for the firearm, but nothing was found there either.

The officers also denied threatening, inducing or making promises to the defendants.

During cross-examination, Mr Johnson asked Officer Ewing whether he had any dealings with his client, Corderold Wallace, and he said no.

He asked Officer Ewing if had also assisted Sgt Johnson when he had taken Wallace on inquiries to Hawksbill, and he said no.

“Were you not the person who bound Wallace with duct tape and boat rope to water board him at Barbary Beach? asked Mr Johnson. Officer Ewing insisted that he had no involvement with Wallace.

“I put it to you that you forced him to undress and you picked him up and threw him in the water, that you submerged his head under the water to get information from him,” asserted Mr Johnson. Officer Ewing said he never did that.

The trial resumes today. Senior Justice Hartman Longley is presiding while Erica Kemp and Desiree Ferguson are appearing on behalf of the Crown.