Beheading Case | Defence attorney labels prosecution's main witness a liar

The attorney for the last remaining accused in the so-called beheading case has dismissed the main prosecution's witness as a liar.

Lloyd McFarlane, who is representing Kemar Riley, also pointed out to the seven-member jury that prosecutors presented no scientific evidence to show that his client was present when a woman and her daughter were killed inside their St Catherine home in 2011.

“There was just nothing. No fingerprint, no blood sample. Nothing,” said McFarlane.

He was making his closing argument to jurors after closing the case for the defendant.

Riley was one of five men charged with murder in connection with the death of Charmaine Cover-Rattray, 40, and her 18-year-old daughter Joeith Lynch in Lauriston, St Catherine, on July 20, 2011.

Both women were chopped, shot and beheaded.

McFarlane described the killings as “horrendous” and “grisly”, but had a caution for the jury of four men and three women.

“You can’t make that obscure you from looking at whether the prosecution has proved their case,” he warned.

The prosecution main witness gave evidence that Riley admitted, during a conversation inside the lock-up area at the Spanish Town Police Station, to shooting Lynch because “she did a bawl out too loud.”

But noting that the witness was not present when the women were killed, the attorney made it clear that his account was not credible.

“We are saying he is lying,” said McFarlane. “When you analyse the evidence of Mr [witness' name withheld] you will agree that he is lying,” the attorney told jurors.

Lead prosecutor Paul Llewellyn is to respond later today.

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