KINGSTON, Jamaica- Attorney Peter Champagnie, King’s Counsel (KC) tackled a detective corporal during cross-examination about the length of time it took him to capture more than 1,000 photographs of the May 27, 2010 shooting scene at the St Andrew home of Keith Clarke in which the accountant was shot and killed in his bedroom.

Clarke was shot more than 20 times during an intelligence led police-military operation, aimed at capturing then fugitive-drug lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke who was wanted by United States law enforcement authorities for drugs and weapons offences. It is alleged that Coke and several of his heavily armed cronies were staying in the basement of Clarke’s house. It is also alleged that the gunmen challenged the security forces in a shootout before escaping in a heavily forested area at the back of property which led down to Red Hills Road.

Three soldiers, lance corporals Greg Tingling and Odel Buckley as well as Private Arnold Henry were charged with murder in 2012 in relation to Clarke’s death.

After numerous snags, trial got underway in May this year, 14 years after the accountant was killed.

READ: Drama at Keith Clarke murder trial

KC Champagnie, who represents Lance Corporal Buckley, pressed the detective corporal, who is a forensic investigator and photographer to come up with answers as to why it took him three days to photograph the entire scene inside the house as well as on the outside where there was excessive gunfire.

The court learned earlier during the detective’s testimony that he found more than 570 M16 spent casings at the location.

Champagnie also invited the detective to tell the seven-member jury how many statements he wrote and to say exactly when he wrote them.

“Do you agree with me, detective corporal, that in relation to all of that in your written statement, should have been done very soon after?” Champagnie asked.

“Yes sir,” the detective responded saying, prompting Champagnie to ask him if he thought he fell short in relation to him not writing all his statements soon after he photographed the location.

The detective’s response was, “No sir”.

KC Champagnie then asked him if he knew how many days or weeks after he had photographed the scene that he wrote his first statement.

“No Sir,” the detective corporal said, adding that, “I’m afraid I can’t even give an estimate”.

Numerous times when asked questions by the attorney, the policeman claimed that he could not recall the details. However, Champagnie cornered him each time and got him to admit to suggestions after he was shown documents to peruse.

Champagnie criticised the witness for not only taking too long to photograph the scene, but also waiting lengthy times before writing his statements.

Champagnie probed to find out from the witness, why he had not conducted DNA samples on the more than 15 Red Stripe Beer bottles that were found in different locations inside the house and outside in the yard.

Inside the sitting room of Clarke’s house, there were eight beer bottles on a coffee table. It was only those that the detective swabbed for possible DNA evidence.

Champagnie asked him if he would agree that apart from the eight bottles that were covered with dust on the coffee table, there were many other bottles at the premises to be swabbed and the detective agreed.

The attorney showed the detective images of beer bottles strewn about the yard and inside the house and quizzed him on whether he had caused DNA testing to be done on all of them but the detective could not recall.

The witness told the court that he checked to see if there was anything of evidential value at the back of the premises including in the heavily forested area leading to Red Hills Road where Dudus and his cronies were said to have escaped but could not recall if he made any mention of that in any of his statements.

“With the greatest of respect, you cannot recall because it never happened. You made no attempt,” Champagnie said.

However, the witness did not agree with him.

The trial continues on Monday.

–          Jason Cross