Murder trial hears witness’ account

A witness told the No. 3 Supreme Court she grabbed her children and sat on the floor after seeing a man standing next to a silver car, holding something in one hand and hearing a “bang”.

The witness was giving testimony in the trial of three men accused of murdering Anthony Layne on June 4, 2020.

The accused are the deceased’s brother Jason Ricardo Layne of Leadvale, Christ Church; Shawn Orlando Crookendale of Skeetes Road, St Michael; and Oshea Kai Greenidge of Ruby, St Philip. All three have pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The witness said she was helping one of her children prepare for their online class when she heard a “crash like a bang” and went to the window.

“I saw a car like it was reversing and saw someone standing by the car and heard another bang and the person who was standing with something in their hand pointing towards the car window.  It appeared as though the person standing outside the car window was shooting into the car. I froze,” she recalled.

The witness said she snatched her children, sat on the floor and then heard someone screaming. The woman called one of her relatives and informed them that someone had gotten shot.

She told the court she had only seen one person doing the shooting and could not recall anyone else being around at the time.

Also taking the witness stand was Michelle Kellman, the girlfriend of the deceased. She told the court that they had been together for around 14 years and that he had been “a loving guy who would stick to himself most of the time.”

She stated that the two of them had breakfast together on June 4, 2020 and she returned home to prepare for work. Before leaving, she called him to get a bottle of gas. They met, she handed him the empty bottle and headed to work. When she arrived, her niece called her to inform her that Anthony had been shot. She returned to Leadvale but the area was cordoned off by police.
Acting Deputy Director Krystal Delaney and Acting Senior State Counsel Anastacia McMeo-Boyce are prosecuting the case. Senior Counsel Angella Mitchell-Gittens represents Greenidge; attorneys Lesley Cargil-Straker and Kristin Vanderpool represent Layne; and Crookendale is represented by attorneys Sade Harris and Elan Greenidge.

The trial continues on Friday.

(JB)