Each week, the Sunday Observer will give a round-up of key events in the murder trial of six policemen, members of the disbanded Crime Management Unit, accused of the quadruple killings at Crawle in Clarendon on May 7, 2003. The trial began October 31, and is expected to last six weeks.

On trial for murder: Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, Sergeant Roderick Collier, Corporal Leford Gordon, Constable Patrick Coke, Constable Devon Bernard, and Constable Shane Lyons.

The victims: Lewina Thompson, Angella Richards, Kirk Gordon, and Matthew James.

The defence lawyers: K Churchill Neita, Jacqueline Samuels-Brown and Christine Hudson; Valerie Neita-Robertson and Gladstone Wilson; Earl Witter and Errol Gentles; Oswest Senior-Smith and Althea McBean; Deborah Martin; and Robert Fletcher.

The prosecutors: DPP Kent Pantry, acting senior deputy DPP David Fraser, acting deputy DPP Donald Bryan, acting crown counsel Chester Crooks, and Terrence Williams, DPP of the British Virgin Islands.

The judge: Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe.

The second week

Monday:

Kevan Miller, 19, denies telling police that wanted man Bashington ‘Chen Chen’ Douglas was at the house where the four people were killed.

Miller testified that he saw police shooting at persons at Angella Richards’ house, one of whom fled into a field; that the police also shot at him, and he ran to a friend’s house from where he could still hear the gunshots coming from Richards’ house.

Government consultant pathologist Dr Kabidyeala Parsed also took the stand.

Tuesday:

Key prosecution witness, a 10-year-old girl, appeared in court in disguise, but was terrified and unable to testify. Presiding judge chief justice Lensley Wolfe calls for next witness.

Rudy Risden, 19, a welder, testified that he saw police shooting at occupants of Angella Richards’ house, who ran inside the house.

Later he saw a open-back white van enter the yard and transport four bodies away.

Under cross examination, Risden said he had heard no gunshots in Crawle prior to the police operation that day.

Risden also testified that he knew ‘Chen Chen’, that the wanted man was from the district, and that he would ‘come and go’.

Chief justice Wolfe warns the media that he was prepared to take ‘drastic’ action against those who gave distorted reports of the trial and attempted to take photographs in the court or in its precincts.

Wednesday:

The police tape recorder malfunctions, unable to replay conversation between Reneto Adams and Police Control. Wolfe orders that new machine be brought to court Thursday.

Defence objects to the replay of a copy of the tape, and requests that the original be brought to court.

Thursday:

A functioning tape is brought to court. In replay of original recording, SSP Reneto Adams is heard saying his men were under fire from 10 gunmen and that police had engaged the shooters.

Calls for back up to take injured gunmen to hospital.

He reports find of a telescopic rifle with telescopic lens, M16 rounds and other ammunition. He later reports another gun find, a Taurus, and ammunition.

‘Chen Chen’s possible presence at house mentioned to Adams by unidentified officer at Police Control.

Police investigator testifies that shooting scene at Crawle was not properly secured, and that there was no police tape indicating that it was a crime scene.

Bloody clothes, bed linen accepted into evidence above objections of defence lawyers.

Friday:

On objections from the defence, Chief Justice Wolfe orders re-assembly of M16 rifle used in the shooting for re-presentation to the court Monday.

The weapon had been dismantled for BSI investigator sergeant Hayden Brown to identify.

Brown testifies that four bullet fragments were found at Crawle, and that he was handed an unexpected four 9mm rounds by a Detective Corporal F Brown at the Four Paths police station.

Inspector Reginald Mowatt testifies that Adams was issued a Colt M16 A2 Carbine gun in 1997. He acknowledges on cross-examination that the barrels of M16s can be switched.