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Key Witness Appears In Re-Trial of Three Accused Killers
posted (June 21, 2018)
Last night, we told you how the prosecution was having difficulty getting its main witness to appear and testify in the murder retrial of Orel Leslie, Tyrone Meighan, and Brandon Baptist. Well, he presented himself before the court today, and provided evidence which implies a link between all 3 accused and the November 2012 murder of James Noralez.

Due to new witness protection laws, we can't tell you his name, but we can say that he had a police escort arriving at and leaving the court.

He took the stand and testified that 3 days before Noralez was killed, he and Noralez - met Orel Leslie and he heard when Leslie accused Norales of working with the police, and warned him that if he is working for the police he will die. According to the main witness, later that same day, Noralez ran unto another man who addressed him and said that all informers have to die. This man accused Noralez of sending the Gang Suppression Unit to his house on Linda Vista Street, which led them to find marijuana and ammunition in the swamp behind his yard.

The prosecution witness then told the court that on November 26, 2012, the night Noralez was murdered, he, Noralez, Leslie, Meighan and Baptist were all socializing at Leslie's house. They ran out of drinks and Leslie, Meighan, Baptist and Noralez drove off in a vehicle, saying that they would come back with a replenished stock.

That didn't happen, and according to the main witness, Leslie, who left fully clothed, came back wearing only a pair of boxer shorts, and he appeared frightened. The main witness added that when they were detained by police in the immediate aftermath of Noralez's killing, Leslie began conversing, and's when Leslie allegedly said that "Debo" was foolish because he didn't have to kill Noralez. This main witness has also identified the 3 accused as the persons who left with Noralez that night. Court reports say that this was the only time, while on the stand, that he made eye contact with Leslie, Meighan and Baptist.

This murder retrial without a jury continues next week Tuesday.

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