Murder accused takes to stand

Unless something dramatic turned up, yesterday, hearing in the Allwill Franklyn trial is expected to continue at the High Court today.

Franklyn, a Dickson man pleaded not guilty to murder when the Assizes opened June 7. {{more}}

His trial started last Monday and has been undergoing a series of intrigues.

Franklyn’s indictment stemmed from an incident at Dickson between November 12 and 15 2002. Pollinus Blucher’s body was found covered beneath a pile of banana leaves in a banana field Friday, November 15.

He went missing earlier that week.

A number of witnesses have mounted the witness stand including Franklyn himself.

Crown Counsel Candace Wyllie is prosecuting the case for the crown while lawyer Ronald marks is appearing in Franklyn’s defense.

In typical court fashion, the trial has produced several clashes between witnesses and the lawyers on both sides of the fence.

One of those minor skirmishes featured defense attorney Marks and witness Michael Dick. Dick is a security man who worked on the banana plantation where Blucher’s body was found.

But as far as Marks was concerned, Dick was not telling the truth.

The Security man testified that the accused Franklyn told him at the scene of the discovery: “Way the man get in he f…. a.., leh he tek it.”

Dick added that a couple days after, the accused Franklyn saw him at his gate and told him: that he (Dick) was interfering with his life. Velda James, a friend of Dave Morgan also gave evidence and she too came under cross-fire from Marks. Morgan was the crown witness and also spent some time of the witness stand.

But Marks made it clear to Dick: “Let me tell you early in the movie, You are telling lies on Will (Franklyn).”

The defence lawyer pointed to contradictions in Dick’s story.

Dick indicated that Franklyn was “not supposed to tell me that.” A total of 15 witnesses testified at the trial, and with Franklyn on the stand on Wednesday that paved the way for an increase in the witness list.

This is Franklyn’s second trial. In his first encounter in 2004, there was a hung jury of six.

A 12-member jury including seven men is officiating at over this trial conducted by Justice Frederick Bruce-Lyle.