witness Ricky Smith told the court: "I can't remember nothing about anything''.

Watson and Smith were arrested after Mr. Wilbur Doe was found unconscious in a pool of blood with massive head wounds on December 9, 1988.

Smith pleaded guilty to robbing the 68-year-old widower and was expected to be a major witness against Watson in this trial.

In the two previous unsuccessful attempts to convict Watson, in 1990 and 1991, Smith played a key role.

But yesterday, when Solicitor General Mr. Barrie Meade asked him if he told the truth in those trials, Smith said he could not even remember what testimony he gave.

Taking the stand, Smith admitted that he was in prison for robbing Mr. Doe, and that at the time of the robbery he was with Watson.

He said he had known Watson for many years. Before the robbery both men were renovating the pharmacy building where Mr. Doe worked, said Smith.

He had seen Mr. Doe practically every day.

Asked by Mr. Meade how he came to rob Mr. Doe, Smith said: "It's been a long time. I can't remember. My mind's all messed up.'' Mr. Meade asked: "Do you remember anything about what happened that evening?'' Smith replied: "I can't recall anything. I can't remember nothing about anything.'' Under repeated questioning, Smith said he could not remember where he had robbed Mr. Doe or whether he had ever been to Mr. Doe's house.

Asked why his mind was messed up, he said: "I don't know. I've probably been in Casemates too long.'' Banging his hands on the witness box as Mr. Meade pressed him with questions, he repeated: "I don't know. I don't remember nothing.'' Asked when it was that he began losing his recollection of December, 1988, Smith said he did not remember.

He had not reported the problem to prison medical authorities, he said. "You realise that may mean that you have a very serious medical problem?'' asked Mr. Meade.

"I don't know,'' said Smith. "I just don't know.'' Shown a letter, Smith said it looked familiar although he could not remember receiving it. "From reading it, it sounds like Shane. It's got my name on it, I guess he must have wrote it to me.'' Shown a statement, he said he could recognise his handwriting but did not remember writing it.

Chief Justice the Hon. Sir James Astwood adjourned the trial, despite objections from defence lawyer Mr. Tim Marshall, so Smith could read through the documents and refresh his memory.

Earlier in the day, emergency physician Dr. Edward Schultz described Mr. Doe's condition on arrival at hospital.

He was near death, with massive skull fractures, said Dr. Schultz. Nearly all of his facial bones had been broken.

"I would say that the patient had been beaten multiple times about the head from different directions. I would suspect, with as many fractures as he had, that he would have been beaten after he lost consciousness. His entire head was very, very swollen and very, very mushy everywhere.

"In my experience I have not seen a patient recover from so severe and diffuse a head injury.'' Mr. Doe lay in a coma until August 19, 1989, when he died, the court has heard.

Mr. Marshall lost a legal battle to get Mr. Doe's hospital records used as evidence, but was allowed by the Chief Justice to question Mr. Schultz on how often Mr. Doe's doctors had entered accounts of treatment.

Watson denies premeditated murder. The trial continues.