Justice Alex Henderson found 19 year old Chakane Jamelle “CJ” Scott guilty of shooting his friend 21-year-old Asher McGaw in East End in the early hours of 22nd September.

The body of Asher McGaw was discovered by police on routine patrol lying in the road in John McLean Drive. He had been shot three times to the head and body.

The Crown’s chief witness was 18-year-old Antascio Rankine who said he, Scott and McGaw, friends from childhood, had gone to the East End Clinic car park to set off a flare gun. During this encounter Scott turned on McGaw, firing at and killing him with a real gun.

Rankine failed to summon the police or emergency services because he said he was so confused and fled to his home.

Scott gave no evidence at his judge alone trial nor did he answer police questions. His attorney, on his behalf, told the court that Scott denied being present at the shooting and he knew nothing about the killing.

Justice Henderson had been expected to announce his verdict last Friday (8) but he had postponed it because he said he needed more time to examine the evidence in the case.

In giving his verdict yesterday (12) the judge said that despite some inconsistencies with Rankine’s testimony he was happy that he was telling the truth and pointed to corroborating evidence. Justice Henderson also made reference to the adverse inference from defendant Scott’s silence.