Autobiography
Who KilledMiss Che Che?
An Autobiography
Episode 49: More Testimonies
Simon Coldwater CrossExamination
"The last time I went fishing was lastSaturday night. I sell fish at West Bay between the times I havebeen in prison. It is more than 17 times, one was for assault,holding a gun in someone's mouth. I didn't have guns myself atthat time, but I did before and after not then. I have respectfor the Bible. Once before in the witness box I couldn't remember,I even admitted I was feeling unwell because of alcohol. Counselhas the record of my convictions. In 1987 I was doing remissiontime for bad behaviour in prison.
"It was not I who called Mr. Potterto say I wanted to give a statement. I did speak to Mr. Potterin the presence of Mr. Fields and I have a statement then, whileI was doing remission time. The shot I heard could not have comefrom Miss Che Che's, it was 12:30 a.m. or 1:00 a.m. that the defendantcame to Sean Carby's house.
The police questioned me after the murder,they questioned everyone in West Bay. I never got off remissiontime, I just felt like coming forward.
"I didn't read in the papers and makeit up. It was what he told me, that he fired two shots from outside,whether or not I am not lying. That's what he told me. The treesbetween my house and the defendant's was not there at that time.I can see his house from my side porch. I was standing on my porchwhen I saw the defendant come from his house. I don't know whattime.
"I recall in my statement saying thatmy mother had woke me up about 8:30 a.m. It could have been 8:00a.m. or quarter to 8. I didn't check the time the conversationtook place. Between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m., I didn't check thehouse. I am not a liar. I knew Harry Steel, we were associates,not friends, associates at 'Club Inferno'.
"Mr. Steel did not accompany me whenI came to give evidence at the P.I. I knew he had been in prison.If he tells lies about me it may be because he is cracking up.I deny that in October 1987 I told Harry Steel that the only reasonthat I was giving the statement to get remission time off that I couldn't stand it and needed to feed my habit. I did nottell him that. Philip never told me anything of the kind and thatI had made it up from newspapers to get police assistance. I amonly telling the court what Philip told me they had done. I don'tknow how the crow said they did it."
That was the testimony of Simon Coldwaterwhich was also rejected and thrown out by my trial judge whichagain was not published. Why?
As I explained earlier, I had told Simonand Duke about Mike and Jeff using my gun to kill Miss Che Che,though he confused it all together in my yard, not at his houselike he testified. Also, that happened later, in April or May1985, not the morning after Miss Che Che was killed.
Harry Steel, my defense witness testifiedthat Simon confessed to him that he was lying, that I had neversaid I killed Miss Che Che but had said that Jeff and Mike haddone it. Simon's testimony was filled with whole lies and halftruths. The point is that the Judge rejected his testimony; thankyou for throwing it out of court.
P.W. 12 John Brown (Sworn) TestimonyIn Chief
"I lived in West Bay all my life. Iknow the defendant, Philip Ebanks. We grew up in the same neighbourhoodand went to school together. I am a little older than he is. Weused to meet together as friends. I gave a statement to policein 1983 and it has been read over to me to refresh my memories.I recall doing something for Philip in 1982. I remember a wreckof the 'Mir Trader'. I knew someone on it called 'bird dog'. Igave 'bird dog' something at Phil's request and after I had doneso, a few weeks/months after I saw the defendant again. It wasin 1982 I saw Phil at his Aunt's house, he said he had got thegun.
"Duke Fox and I went somewhere withthe defendant. We went into the bush about 3/4 miles from hishouse; it was in the daytime. While in the bush the defendantsaid he had got the gun. He went and came back and fired off twoshots and when he did so, he told us to leave so he could hideit. The gun was about 16 inches long and looked as if the handlehad been sawn off. It looked like the handle had been varnishedso that one could see where it had been cut off. The defendanthad the two shots in his hand before he fired the shots off. Isaw them in his hand. He fired both shots off at a wizard there wasn't a long pause.
"When the defendant told us to leave,Duke and I left the scene. I didn't handle the gun at all."
Cross Examination
"I am the son of Miss Karen Brown.I don't remember being upset at the defendant calling my mother'sname in this case. I never used to hang out with the defendantafter December 1982, but I did so before. The police came to me,I didn't go to them. They have not called me to give evidencein any court until today. Duke has also given a statement. I don'tknow. I don't know whether he has mentioned a gun in the bush.It wasn't Duke and I who had the gun. The colour of the handlewas mahogany colour, brown. I think the barrel was black, I'mnot sure. It's a long time ago. I didn't have the gun. I didn'ttake it with me the police came to me to give a statement aboutquestioning about Miss Che Che's murder.
"I was kept at the station not longerthan a day. As soon as I made the statement I was released butI can't remember what time it was. The police never asked me totake them to 'bird dog'; I told the police the area in which thegun was fired.
Re-examination
"I was not arrested when I went tothe police station. I was working that day. I heard my mothersay one day that the police had come and asked her if some thingshad come from her store (that caused me some animosity towardthe defendant because I thought he was telling lies on her). Iam not telling lies."
That was the testimony of John Brown. Histestimony was accepted by the court, but oh, John, why did youtell so much lies on me? Why John? If the things you said againstme were true, I could admit to them because no matter what itwill not make me a murderer.
I calmly called you a liar in court; I hadsaid, "You are a liar". Remember what you did? You lookeddown at your feet on the floor but did that help me. No, the Judgeaccepted your statement. No one knows who this 'bird dog' is butyou, right? You couldn't say Phil and I stole the gun off of theMir Trader.
Next: The testimonyof Duke Fox
*All Names have beenchanged to protect the rights of individuals.
Disclaimer: The preceeding excerpt from the Autobiography of PhilipGlennan Ebanks is copyrighted by Philip Glennan Ebanks and doesnot necessarily reflect the views of Cayman Net News, CNN employeesor its affiliates. Cayman Net News does not accept responsibilityfor opinions expressed in this series.©