Police officers in court last week shared interviews they conducted with the three men accused of murdering Omar Barton Samuels on the night of 4 July, 2009.

Patrick Elbert McField, Osbourne Wilfred Douglas and Brandon Leslie Ebanks are charged together; their trial began on 30 August before Justice Charles Quin and a jury of eight women and four men.

Officer Paul Innis read the interview conducted with Ebanks, who said he had spent Saturday night, 4 July, at a friend’s house behind Zodiac Bar. Around midnight, he went to Jah T’s to get some conch and took it back to his friend’s house. The whole excursion lasted 10 to 15 minutes, he estimated. He said his girlfriend picked him up around 12.30am. They parked across from Smith Cove for a while and then she drove him home to Prospect.

Nicholas Rhodes QC, Ebanks’ lead counsel, pointed out that the time of the shooting could be placed at just before 1am. Ebanks’ interview had given a complete explanation of where he was.

Mr. Rhodes told another officer that statements were taken from the man whose house Ebanks had said he was at and from Ebanks’ girlfriend. They were provided by the Crown to the Defence as unused material.

Sergeant Winsome Prendergast gave evidence of her interview with Osbourne Douglas on 27 August, 2009. She said he exercised his legal rights. Afterwards, he said he needed to smoke and have some fresh air. Ms Prendergast said she went to get some cigarettes and then joined him for the smoke. While he was going back to the cells, he said there was a witness missing that police had not spoken to. He gave her the name Martin and a last name.

Ms Prendergast said she believed this was pertinent and she went to the officer in charge about it. He later told her he needed another interview regarding this matter.

Inspector Lauriston Burton said he spoke to Patrick McField on 7 July, 2009. McField told him he never went to McField Lane the night of the incident. Sunday, 5 July was his birthday, and he celebrated Saturday night. He went to Peppers Night Club where people bought him drinks and he got drunk.

In a second interview, McField said when he got to Peppers he saw Mr. Samuels walking alone toward the club. McField stopped to talk to a girl; when he went into the club Mr. Samuels was still outside.

He said he didn’t have any problem with anyone in the club. His cousin told him she was taking him home with her to Randyke Gardens and they reached there after midnight.

Mr. Burton said after the first interview that he contacted McField’s cousin. “She basically gave me an account that corroborated McField’s account,” he told the court.