Witness: murder accused was attacked before fatal stabbing
The witness to a fatal stabbing told a Supreme Court jury how they called emergency services after seeing the victim lying in the road with a chest wound.
The witness, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was testifying on the second day of the trial of Jahmari Beach yesterday.
Mr Beach, 33, is charged with the murder of Daunte Woods, 27, outside Somerset Cricket Club in Sandys in the early hours of October 25, 2020.
He is also charged with possession of a bladed article in a public place.
Questioned by prosecutor Adley Duncan, the witness said that they left the club with Mr Beach and another man known as “Smurf” after Mr Beach had an altercation with Mr Woods inside the club.
The trio walked along Clyde Best Lane but were then approached by Mr Woods, who was on a motorbike with a pillion passenger.
The witness said that after the pair dismounted, Mr Woods approached Mr Beach.
The witness said: “Jahmari was in the road trying to get away, and then they started to go back and forth. They were circling each other. ‘I am watching you to make sure you don’t make any moves towards me’.”
The witness also said that they believed Mr Woods was holding a knife.
She said: “I closed my eyes and when I opened them again Daunte was lying in the road.
“I ran over to check him and then called 911 to request an ambulance.”
The witness said that they could see that Mr Woods had been wounded in the chest.
Another witness was putting pressure on the wound.
During proceedings yesterday, the jury was shown CCTV footage taken inside the club and on the grounds of the property in the minutes leading up to the fatal stabbing.
Under cross-examination by defence attorney Elizabeth Christopher, the witness explained what was happening in the footage.
The first clip showed a bar packed with dancing revellers — including Mr Beach, Mr Woods and the witness. At one point Mr Beach and Mr Woods appeared to have a brief conversation.
Ms Christopher suggested to the witness that Mr Beach became upset because Mr Woods was “giving him grief for not being from Somerset”.
The witness said they were not aware of what the conversation between the two men had been about.
They did agree with Ms Christopher that there were turf wars, but that disputes were only between gang members, and that Mr Beach “was not one of them”.
Another camera positioned at the entrance of the club building showed Mr Woods leave the club and head towards a bike parked in the car park.
Mr Beach, Smurf and the witness then left the building and could be seen standing on the porch of the club.
The witness said they were waiting for Mr Beach’s friend, who was going to drive him home.
While they waited, Mr Woods was seen returning to the club entrance.
Ms Christopher asked the witness: “Would it be right to say that when he [Mr Woods] came back on to the porch, Jahmari backed up a bit? He stepped back and you stepped in to make sure that he stayed back?”
The witness agreed.
The witness said that when they decided to leave the club property and head on to the road, Mr Woods was with his bike in the car park making a telephone call.
Footage showed the witness turn to Mr Woods and say something as they passed.
“I said to just leave it — to stop saying what he was saying,” the witness said.
Further footage showed Mr Beach, Smurf and the witness on the entrance to the main road when two people on a bike arrived and blocked their path.
Asked if one of the men on the bike had then “clocked” Mr Beach with a helmet, the witness replied: “Yes, it was the passenger.”
Ms Christopher continued: “I am going to suggest to you that Jahmari had been hit on the head and was trying to walk away. Do you remember him being attacked and then walking away?”
The witness replied that they did remember. They also explained that the footage showed Mr Beach running towards his friend’s car in an attempt to get away from the scene, and that someone else could be seen running behind him.
“Jahmari was being chased,” they said.
The trial, before Puisne Judge Juan Wolffe, continues.
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