UK Police Specialists Testify on Day 14

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police

Thursday, 23 June 2011 02:29

By Colin Sampson

Antigua St John's - Alan Tribe, head of the Evidence Recovery Unit for the Metropolitan Police Service, New Scotland Yard, on Wednesday completed his time on the stand on day 14 of the Mullany/Anderson murder trial.

Tribe co-ordinated the UK team that provided the Royal Police Force of Antigua & Barbuda with forensic evidence management and other support during the investigation into the deaths of Catherine and Benjamin Mullany on July 27, 2008, and Woneta Anderson on August 8, 2008.

The previous day, Tribe had provided the court with exhaustive testimony relating to the 2008 murder investigation and the collection and management of forensic and other evidence. This was done with the assistance of UK forensic scientists Ruth Shackel and Tony Miller, and supported by police photographer Michael Sisterson. At other times, this team was augmented by Detective Constable Edward Byrne and forensic scientist Tony Larkin.

Among other things, Tribe described how on August 11, 2008 he and Sisterson accompanied local policemen Inspector Burnette and Corporal Williams  to the Tindale Road home of Fransisca De-La-Cruz. Corporal Williams recovered items of interest, which included a black-and-red Nokia cell telephone. De-La-Cruz and another female occupant, identified as Ramona Herretia, were arrested and cautioned.

A number of other houses in the area were searched, as well as the Howell residence at Golden Grove. A number of items of interest were recovered, including a silver-and-black Nokia cell phone.

Tribe outlined the procedures involved in taking, bagging, sealing, marking, and securing a wide range of physical, DNA, and forensic evidence, including boots, clothing, sneakers, mouth and blood swabs. He explained how he travelled with the evidence in sealed plastic crates to Barbados and the UK, where the evidence was handed over for forensic examination.

During Tribe’s testimony, this evidence was brought into court. Some items, specifically the box and box cover for a Glock Safe Action pistol, an ammunition clip and holder, and a safe recovered from the home of Ronnie Christopher in Union Estate, were identified and entered into evidence.

On November 15 and 16, 2008 the evidence recovery support team visited the Morning Glory Sunshine Shop, carried out further chemical and special tests, and lifted finger and palm prints as well as shoe prints. Sisterson took digital pictures of the scene and the findings.

During the conclusion of his testimony, Tribe described pictures taken during the search of the Howell residence on September 13, 2008. A number of Nokia cell phones and SIM card holders featured prominently. Referring to a multi-coloured bandana at the scene of the Mullany murders, Tribe noted that such an item should have been regarded as an item of interest.


Sisterson, a police photographer with the UK Metropolitan Police for some 22 years, next took the stand. He provided the court with descriptions of four albums of photographs taken at the crime scenes at Cocos hotel and the Morning Glory Sunshine Shop.

In particular, he described how he took digital photographs of shoe marks at the Browne’s Avenue murder scene using special chemicals to fluoresce bloodstains. He also explained how he had used Adobe Photoshop techniques to enhance shoe-marks, in one case superimposing one of his own photographs on an earlier shot of the same print taken earlier by local police officers. The four albums were entered into evidence.

The trial continues at 9 am on Thursday June 23.

 

Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 1	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 7
Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 2	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 8
Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 3	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 9
Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 4	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 10
Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 5	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 11
Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 6	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 12
	Mullany/Anderson murder trial- Day 13

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