'I don't remember' - Witness in Vanessa Kirkland murder trial says she cannot recall details of the incident
Published:Friday | January 18, 2019 | 12:00 AMNickoy Wilson/Gleaner Writer
A Crown witness yesterday, in answer to several questions, indicated that she could not remember some of the details surrounding the March 20, 2012, murder of 16-year-old Immaculate Conception High student Vanessa Kirkland.
The witness, who was deemed hostile by the prosecution because she refused to answer questions on Wednesday, was testifying in the trial for three police constables at the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston.
Under cross-examination by attorney Peter Champagnie, who is representing one of the accused, he asked, "Did INDECOM collect the statement from you in haste?"
"I don't remember that," the witness answered.
The attorney also asked the witness, since she said she could not remember if the statement had been read over to her or if she had read it over herself, how she could speak to the credibility of the statement.
But the prosecution raised an objection, saying that Champagnie was going into an area the witness had already said was true.
Presiding judge Justice Carol Lawrence-Beswick, however, ruled to allow the question.
Champagnie repeated the question, but the witness said she did not understand. After a brief explanation, the witness agreed with his suggestion.
The witness also seemed to be oblivious when responding to questions by attorney Nadine Guy.
Guy asked, "Do you recall if the blue car was tinted?"
"I don't remember," the witness said.
The attorney also asked if the windows of the blue Suzuki Swift motor car had been up.
The witness responded, "I think they were up."
During re-examination by the prosecution, the witness said that only two portions of the statement she gave to INDECOM in 2012 were inaccurate.
The accused, constables Anna-Kay Bailey, Dervin Hayles, and Andrewain Smith, remain on bail.
Kirkland was shot dead in a Suzuki Swift motor car along Norman Lane off Spanish Town Road in St Andrew in 2012.
The trial continues on Monday.