After many months of long days in court, and unavoidable delays, the trial of William "Danny" Mason, Ashton Vanegas, Keiron Fernandez, Terrence Fernandez, and Ernest Castillo is finally winding down. Very soon, Justice Antoinette Moore will begin her deliberations on the guilt or innocence of these 5 men for the crime of murder.
The attorneys for both the prosecution and the defense began their closing arguments today and depending on the duration of each speech, this case could conclude on Friday, or by Monday afternoon at the latest.
This is the part of the trial where the attorneys try to convince Justice Antoinette Moore who is guilty, who is innocent, and why.
Among the first to give their closing arguments today was DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, and she is attempting to convince the court that each of these 5 defendants all had a hand in the gruesome murder of Pastor Lewellyn Lucas. She has freely acknowledged that her case against the accused is based on circumstantial evidence, but she is of the opinion that when taken together, they will allow the judge to draw the inference that these men acted together to kill Pastor Lue.
She then proceeded to remind the court of some of that evidence that her witnesses have presented to the court. According to the DPP, back in July 2016, Mason text messaged Lucas and told him to come and collect money he was owed. On the morning of July 15, Mason inquired again, and Lucas responded that he was on his way.
According to the DPP, Mason then had a meeting with his staff, which included the 4 other accused. Lucas then arrived at Mason's Intelco Hill home, and he was accompanied by American David Dodd and another man. Pastor Lue called Mason using Dodd's cellular phone and informed him that he had arrived.
According to the prosecution, Mason went upstairs, and he called his co-accused, Terrence Fernandez. He is heard telling Terrence that Lucas arrived with other persons.
Lucas then went upstairs to meet with Mason; his companions waited in the vehicle they arrived in.
These men were later invited to go into the residence. But instead, they were ushered into a separate room, where they were held hostage.
Mason then met with Terrence and Vanegas, where he was seen handing Terrence Fernandez a firearm.
Lucas then arrived, and he and Mason then had their meeting. At its conclusion, Lucas was escorted back down the stairs. Terrence Fernandez walked in front of him and Vanegas walked behind him. Vanegas then pulled out what appeared to be a machete.
While that was happening upstairs, Dodd and Pastor Lucas' other companion were taken captive, and they were restrained using duck-tape. The 3 men: Lucas, Dodd, and the third victim, were then thrown into the back of a black vehicle.
According to the DPP, Mason oversaw the entire kidnapping, and he jumped into the driver's side of the vehicle, and several of his co-accused boarded the vehicle. They then drove out with the captives, who were bound and blindfolded. They were then taken to Mason's Outback Ranch. Mason then had a conversation with Dodd, after which he released both men unharmed.
And according to the DPP, Lucas was then killed, and his head was chopped off. It was placed into one of the sacks that are used on the farm. That sack was then stuffed into one of the buckets on the farm, and it was placed in the back of Mason's truck.
As to the rest of Pastor Lue's body, well, the DPP is of the opinion that it was thrown into a pit on the farm, and it was burnt.
All 5 men then left Mason's farm, and they went to Sancho's bar. That's where they caught the attention of the police, and Lucas's head was eventually discovered in the back of Mason's pickup truck.
But, Mason's attorney, Dexter Todd, is of the opinion while the DPP is attempting to convince the judge that this is how the crime happened, she has not shown compelling evidence that Mason was involved in the crime himself. He spoke with us about an hour before the start of the news in Belmopan, when today's court hearing ended. Here's how he explained why he thinks that the circumstantial evidence doesn't add up to a guilty verdict:
Dexter Todd - Attorney for William Mason
"The evidence as it was presented in this case I believe fell short of a number of things and I have close my arguments at looking holistically at the evidence. How the judge treats the evidence is totally and completely up to the judge in relation to it. I am of the view that the investigation was not thorough. It lacked the type of completeness to bring conclusively what really transpired. This is a case entirely on circumstantial evidence and I think in dealing with circumstantial evidence they ought to have been more coming from the investigation itself which would have lend to a clearer picture of what actually transpired. So basically that was what I presented to the court and I pointed out to the court what were some of the shortcomings and let see if the court will agree in relation to that. As I said its totally up to the court at the end of the day."
Reporter
"What would you say to those who believe that maybe you downplayed the evidence against your client, what would you say to that?"
Dexter Todd - Attorney for William Mason
"Well I didn't really downplay the evidence against my client. I have submitted that there is no evidence against my client and the court is to either agree or disagree as to whether there is evidence or not. I believe it was not a disputed fact that the deceased was at the home of my client and I have agreed on that, I've never disagree with that, my client never disagree with that. As opposed to whether there were any plan or plot or intention to kill the deceased, is where I am waiting for the evidence and those are the issues that I brought before the court and the court is going to review that evidence and see whether they agree or disagree."
Todd was the first attorney to make closing arguments this morning, after him, the DPP was up next. She spent about 3 hours presenting the first half of her closing arguments, and she will continue tomorrow, starting at 9 a.m. After that, the other defense attorneys will make their closing arguments, one by one until the trial concludes.
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