The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court jury yesterday heard how a Junkanoo after-party at Solid Gold nightclub in Abaco ended in a man being shot dead outside.

However, the credibility of the witness’ evidence was contested by attorney Murrio Ducille, who is defending Nevin Curry against the murder charge concerning the February 26, 2012 shooting of Stanley McIntosh III.

Though Crown prosecutor Ambrose Armbrister alleges him to be the killer, Curry, of Coopers Town, Abaco denies murdering the 22-year-old Marsh Harbour resident on the early morning in question.

At yesterday’s commencement of trial, Mr Ambrose told the jury that McIntosh was on the ground in the vicinity of the Don McKay Boulevard establishment when he was approached by a man who pointed a firearm at him and fired a single shot.

The bullet entered the 22-year-old’s chest and exited through his back.

“As a consequence of being shot by Nevin Curry, Mr McIntosh died,” the prosecutor alleged.

Before calling witnesses, he informed the jury that the burden was on the Crown to prove it’s case and that they had witnesses who could testify about what they saw and did on the early morning in question.

After calling Det Sgt Jennifer Rolle, who testified of her involvement in the matter as a crime scene officer, Mr Ambrose then called a key witness to the stand.

The man, who wishes not to be identified for his protection, told the court he and some friends went to a Junkanoo after-party at Solid Gold nightclub.

He and three others had driven from Junkanoo to the nightclub around 1am that morning and stayed at the club for three hours.

“Whilst you were at the Solid Gold Club, did anything unexpected occur?” the prosecutor asked.

The witness said he and McIntosh were exiting the club and McIntosh and another man bumped into each other, which resulted in an exchange of words that escalated into a fight.

“I saw my boy get shoot,” the jury heard from the witness.

“Who was ‘ya boy’?” Mr Ambrose asked.

“Stanley McIntosh,” the man answered, adding that the shooting occurred some 20 feet away from him.

The prosecutor asked the man if the street lights were on at the time. The witness answered yes.

“I could see across the road, it was clear,” the witness said.

The witness further noted that it was not his first time seeing the shooter, claiming that he’d known Nevin Curry for six years having seen him when visiting Coopers Town.

“I just hailed but we’ve never had a conversation,” he added.

Mr Armbrister asked the witness what, if anything, happened after the shooting.

“When he shot him, he stayed there for a minute,” the key witness said, adding that Curry ran to a van when prompted by a friend to do.

The witness said he identified Curry at the Marsh Harbour police station days later in an identification parade.

The prosecutor asked the witness how McIntosh was positioned when he was shot.

“He was on his back. He was trying to get up and he was shot,” he said.

During cross-examination, Mr Ducille began his questioning about the end of Junkanoo and the route to the after-party.

“Did you go with Stanley?” the attorney asked.

“No sir, I meet him down there,” the witness said, referring to Solid Gold Club.

“Wasn’t he your cousin?” the attorney asked. The witness said he was a friend.

“You gave a couple of statements to police?” Mr Ducille asked. The man said he gave a statement.

“Did you tell them Stanley was your cousin?” the attorney probed. The witness said no but was then shown his witness statement, which suggested the contrary.

The witness said that “where I’m from, we call each other family”.

Shifting his questioning to the club, Mr Ducille then asked, “There was a fight going on involving Stanley?” The witness said yes, adding that it involved Stanley and two brothers.

“Were you involved in the fight?” the attorney asked.

The witness answered that he wasn’t involved in the fight and did not part it. He said he tried to talk them out of it.

The attorney asked the witness if it was dark. The witness said the street lights were on, then eventually conceded that it was nevertheless dark outside.

“Were you really there?” Mr Ducille asked. The witness said he was.

Mr Ducille asked the witness for the time that Junkanoo began and the witness said 8pm the previous day.

“So that would’ve been eight hours between the start of Junkanoo and this incident?” the attorney asked. The man said “yes sir.”

The attorney asked if he and his friends were drinking at the after-party and the answer he received was “yes sir,” adding that he’d had three Kalik beers.

“Was Stanley drinking?” Ducille asked. The witness said he was but could not be sure of exactly what his friend had consumed.

Mr Ducille asked the witness if he was aware of other men he knew being in police custody in connection with the incident. The witness said yes, admitting that some of them were either friends or relatives.

Mr Ducille asked the witness if the shooting took place during the fight. The witness said Stanley was shot after his two cousins pulled the men he was fighting with off of him.

“You ever had any interaction with Nevin?” the attorney asked.

“No, sir,” the witness said.

“Have you ever made a mistake identifying someone?” the attorney asked.

This line of questioning was objected to by prosecutor Armbrister, who questioned it’s relevance. Mr Ducille rephrased the question and the witness answered “No sir.”

Mr Ducille then suggested to the witness that he came to court “to tell lies.”

The suggestion was rejected by the witness.

“All the time the fight was going on, did you see Nevin?” the attorney asked.

“No, sir,” the witness answered.

The trial resumes today before Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.

Mr Ducille is being assisted by Krysta Mason-Smith and Nathan Smith.