By Monique Washington
A young man walked out of the Magistrate Court on Tuesday on the charge of larceny and receiving of stolen goods after the prosecution failed to bring the virtual complainant to court to testify.
Dellon Parris, who was represented by attorney Saundra Hector, sat in the accused box for almost two hours as the prosecution brought forward three witnesses, but not the virtual complainant. Parris was accused of stealing the back door of a green Toyota RAV4 from Noel Liburd.
The prosecution, headed by Police Prosecutor Inspector Eurita Collins-Percival brought forth Deon Ward, the owner of 3D’s Car Rentals. He testified that on Feb. 12, Parris called and said that he needed a rental for Feb. 19. During the time Parris had the Toyota, it allegedly got into an accident with a Best Buy Supermarket truck, which allegedly hit the back of the rental and damaged the back door. Ward said Parris promised to “take care” of the damages and told Ward he would be able to obtain a door from St Kitts. Ward noted he visited the mechanic a number of times to check in on how the repairs. He said the first time he visited the mechanic shop the damaged door was still intact. The second time the door was replaced and was being prepared for painting.
Ward’s testimony states that on March 8 an officer visited his home and told him they were investigating a stolen green RAV 4 back door. He gave the police permission to check his blue RAV 4. When the officers pulled the panel off the inside of the back door, they saw green paint. The door was taken off of the vehicle and taken into police custody.
Travis Bryant, an employee of KEBO Mechanic Shop in Long Point, who did the repairs to a damaged vehicle also testified in court.
In his testimony, Bryant told the court that Parris brought the vehicle to the shop with a damaged back door. A couple of days later Parris brought in a green back door of the same make and model as the damaged RAV 4. He sanded, filled, primed and sprayed it blue to match the damaged vehicle. The door was installed and Parris collected the RAV 4 and paid $2,500 for repairs. Bryant told the court that he did not know where the door came from.
Last of the Prosecution witnesses was Constable Javern Weekes. He testified that on March 5 Noel Liburd made a report that someone entered his property and stole the back door from his green Toyota RAV 4. And investigation was carried out. On March 8 Weekes visited the home of Ward and told him he was investigating a matter of a stolen jeep back door. Ward’s rental was searched and on the inside of the inner panel was green paint. The constable said Parris was then called to Ward’s home and questioned. Weeks told the court that he asked Parris if he had previously rented a vehicle and he said yes. “I asked him if he knew the back door was stolen and he said that he got it from a friend. I asked the color of the door and he said silver. When he was shown the inside of the panel he said that it was a green door he took to the mechanic.”
“Parris was taken into custody for suspicion of larceny, and subsequently charged on April 11 with the crime,” he said.
On May 31, due to the results of further investigations Parris received a second charge of receiving stolen goods.
After the prosecution rested, the defense presented a no case submission.
“It is the prosecution’s duty to prove the items were stolen,” the defense said. “They brought forth no evidence that anything was stolen. “
On the charge of receiving stolen goods, attorney Hector noted that her client needed to have knowledge or believe, that the items were stolen. And that also was not proven.
The Magistrate Yasmine Clarke in handing down her judgment, explained that there “was nothing wrong with the evidence given by the witnesses” but noted that “no one came and said, this is my property. I own this.”
She said that the prosecution did not prove that Parris deprived the owner of his belongings because no one testified in court that the door belonged to them.
“This matter is dismissed,” she said, and Parris walked out the court a free man.
