Last night, we told you about the latest developments in the murder trial without a jury for William "Danny" Mason, Ashton Vanegas, Keron Fernandez, Terrence Fernandez, and Ernest Castillo.
After many months of extensive witness testimony, and a few unavoidable delays, the trial is set to conclude at the end of this week. At its conclusion, Justice Antoinette Moore will deliberate and decided whether these men are innocent or guilty of the 2016 beheading murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas.
The very last pieces of evidence were entered today when the court recalled the scenes-of-crime technician who was assigned to carry out the necessary forensic work for this case. It involves over a hundred crime scene photographs, which were part of the evidence bundle, but which was never used by DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal in her prosecution.
Well, Baja Shoman, attorney for Ernest Castillo, is of the view that one of those photographs can assist her client's defense, and so, she brought it up with the judge. That eventually caused a shift where Bryan Neal, attorney for Keron Fernandez, and DPP Vidal both decided that they could use some of the photographs to bolster their own case. So, Justice Moore recalled the scenes-of-crime technician, and the entire day was spent submitting each of these 100+ photographs as part of the case.
When that process concluded this evening, Justice Moore then informed the attorneys in what order they would make their closing arguments.
This evening after the hearing concluded, we spoke with with Dexter Todd, the attorney for William Mason. He's going to start the closing arguments tomorrow, and so we asked him about his preparations for that, as well as an explanation for why those photographs are now part of the evidence. Here's what he told us:
Dexter Todd - Attorney for William Mason
"The trial was still ongoing. It is the law in Belize that the judge, at the close of both the defense cases, that they can call a witness. Now, reference was made to a CD which contained over 100+ photographs. What the judge respectfully did was to allow those photographs to go in because the CD was disclosed to us from the beginning of the trial. So, it was not anything hidden. So, I guess for completeness the court allowed all the necessary information that was available, and that was disclosed to defense, to come into evidence."
Reporter
"What were the features of these photos? We get the sense that they focused mostly on the Outback Ranch area which the police believe to be the crime scene."
Dexter Todd
"Well, let's not - As you would recognize, the issue as to where the crime scene was, is still an issue in contention. The police did take photographs at the ranch because they believe that certain things were there and that certain things happened there. As to whether the court is going to use that evidence, or those photographs to conclude that that's a crime scene is something that we will have to allow the court to determine."
Reporter
"We note that tomorrow, you go up first for closing arguments. Are you prepared, sir?"
Dexter Todd
"Well, I was prepared from the beginning of this trial, when I came on. We could have closed at that stage. I am excited to be back. I'm excited to wrap this up. I believe there is nothing that is going to drop out of the sky. What will be said in court is basically what had transpired in court. And that is basically what we'll be bringing to the judge, that we wish that she pays attention to."
And in an update to our story last night in which we reported William Mason's defense witness. You'll remember that this US Special Agent submitted a written statement to the court in which he outlined his involvement with this case, as well as his brief interactions with William Mason.
As we reported, this Special Agent deposed in his statement that in a meeting with Mason, shortly after his detention in 2016 for Pastor Lucas' murder, Mason identified himself as Rajesh Oulette, a Guyanese national who came to Belize under an assumed identity.
Another major one is that Mason claimed to this Special Agent that National Security Minister John Saldivar was attempting to frame him.
Well, before our story aired last night, we contacted Saldivar for comment, and he responded.
Speaking directly to Mason's allegation to the US Special Agent, Saldivar said, that this was quote, "Absolutely ridiculous hearsay".
He also added, quote, "No evidence at all was presented in a trial to substantiate this ludicrous and desperate statement." End quote.
We'll be back in Belmopan tomorrow, and we'll tell you what Mason's attorney and DPP Vidal had to say in their closing arguments.
Email
Print