Riley trial finally under way

After several adjournments, Jeremy Riley’s trial finally got underway at the Serious Offences Court on Tuesday.

Riley, 23, of Edinboro, was slapped with five charges:{{more}} possession of one 9mm firearm pistol, possession of one round of ammunition, attempt to discharge a firearm at Ewert “Ells” King, of Pembroke, on November 21, preventing lawful apprehension of himself under the firearms Act and damaging two vehicles on November 21, last year at Rose Place.

The prosecution, led by Station Sergeant Nigel Butcher, indicated to the court that they would not be able to finish the matter on that day. Butcher said that all the witnesses in the matter were not present and that the arresting officer was overseas.

A total of seven witnesses was called during the trial, including Dental Technician Ewert King. King told the court that he was sitting at the window in the waiting room of his business place on Lower Back Street opposite the Finishing and Furnishing building when he saw a man dressed in a yellow rain coat and a yellow bandana around his face running along the side of the Finishing and Furnishing building with a firearm in his hand, heading upstream the nearby river. King said he grabbed his licensed firearm and walked along the Roman Catholic School area to find the man.

King said while he was in the Gibson’s lumberyard area, he saw two guys walking in the Victoria Park. King said he got a ride in a vehicle to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital and saw Riley and approached him. King said he held on to the defendant’s t-shirt and Riley said, “Is na me had de gun, is de other man have the gun.” At the same time King said Riley reached into his waist and pulled a black gun and tried to fire it, that was when he (King) fired two shots at the defendant, one catching him in his hand.

The matter was adjourned to April 16 for continuation. (KW)