A Locus is Conducted in the Murder Trial of William Mason and Four Accused Men
A significant event took place today in the murder trial of William “Danny” Mason and four other accused men. The judge and prosecution as well as attorneys visited the sites linked to the murder of Pastor Llewellyn Lucas. Mason’s house on the Intelco Hill in Belmopan where it is known that Pastor Lucas had gone prior to his murder was visited as well as Mason’s farm where the beheading of the pastor is said to have taken place. The prosecution wrapped up arguments and the case was adjourned for September. News Five’s Duane Moody has a report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
The final day of the prosecution’s case in the murder trial of William “Danny” Mason and four accused men began outside the courtroom today. A locus saw the defendants and their legal counsels, as well as the prosecutors and Justice Antoinette Moore conduct site visits at three locations entered into evidence, namely: the Intelco Hill property of Mason, the farm, outback ranch, located between miles thirty and thirty-one on the George Price Highway and what was once Sanchos Bar in Belmopan. It all happened with heavy police escort.
Bryan Neal, Attorney
“The judge felt that she needed to see and often times it is helpful. When you are in these trials, all you see are paper documents and testimony of witnesses to guide you. Sometimes it is important and the judge felt it was important to go to the scene and hopefully what we did today, assist the court in coming to a final determination.”
Bryan Neal
Reporter
“We noticed that after the visits, the judge asked certain questions of the local forensic expert. Explain to us what was the purpose of that if you can?”
Bryan Neal
“Like I said, until you go to a scene and actually visualize in front of you what you are seeing, certain questions will arise and questions arose regarding matters like video cameras that were at Sanchos bar and other matters that I won’t go into. But there are pertinent matters that arose based on us going to the scene this morning.”
Duane Moody
“Sir, but three years later, there have been changes to the landscape at all these locations. How does that influence the case?”
Bryan Neal
“I will be sure to include that in my closing arguments because you just raised a good point. So that whatever the judge gets from it will be what she decides to take from it, but I cannot go beyond that.”
Reporter
“Sir take us back to the residence. What was the observations made at the residence?”
Bryan Neal
“There is a video that was disclosed and I think the main thing was to confirm some of the things that we saw on the video in terms of what happened at the property. Beyond that, I really don’t want to get into the meat of the matter.”
The locus took about two hours and the parties returned to the courtroom where the crime scene technician was further quizzed about what was submitted to the court as evidence in the trial. According to the witness, it was at the ranch that he encountered a smoking pit in which he saw charged human remains; he claims to have also seen black buckets and white sacks similar to that which was discovered in the pickup truck with the head of deceased Pastor Llewellyn Lucas back in July of 2016.
Bryan Neal
“The ranch was very big, had several pieces to it; beyond that, the boundaries weren’t certain. But beyond that, I really don’t know what we gained from going there.”
Llewellyn Lucas
In the afternoon session, investigating officer, Sergeant Holly Vasquez, returned to court or defense counsel Baja Shoman to finish her cross-examination. Her four other colleagues will each get their chance to question him before the session concludes today and is adjourned until September twenty-fourth, 2019 when the defense will present its case. Attorneys Bryan Neal and Norman Rodriguez say that through the cross-examination, they are trying to present to the court that the investigation was poorly conducted.
Bryan Neal
“I started a short while ago; we have adjourned for a short lunch and after lunch I will go back at my cross-examination top try to persuade the judge that a proper investigation was—whether I am successful or not will be a matter for the final determination when we get that verdict. But my task is to show the judge that a proper investigation was not conducted.”
Norman Rodriguez
Norman Rodriguez, Attorney
“When we listen to the witness giving evidence, we look at certain things which provides a background or a foundation for us to discredit that witness. He said certain things in his evidence that I felt was worthy of following up and that is why I crossed him on certain areas.”
Duane Moody
“Do you too feel that the process for the investigation and later charge of these men was improperly done?”
Norman Rodriguez
“I cannot say that it was improperly done; I am not a police officer, but I have my own feelings of how police work is done. I would want to see a little more effort done into investigating before you charge. That is one of the big areas for me that I would want to see something done a little differently.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
