Defense Accuses Police Witness of Lying in the Klansman Trial

The prosecution in the One Don Klansman Gang trial on Monday led a retired police witness through telephone conversations that were secretly recorded between alleged members of the gang. In this court meeting, the aim was to identify the voices of two defendants, Stephanie Christie alias Muma and Jason Brown who were previously pointed out as City Puss. 

The retired gang investigator with his eyes closed, listened attentively to three telephone conversations that were secretly recorded by a former gangster of the gang. The police witness had previously testified how he listened to a string of extortion related voice notes circulating in the Spanish Town area, as well as live conversations, in which he heard the voice of City Puss, who he positively identified in court as Jason Brown, who is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of a man in 2005.

The retired lawman said he also became familiar with Brown’s voice based on his interactions with him, also noting that he knows the lone female among the 33 accused, Stephanie Christie.

He said he spoke to her personally on several occasions. Seventeen seconds into the first recording, the witness was able to identify the voice of Christie, whom he referred to as “Muma di great”… Forty-five seconds into that same recording he said he heard the voice of City Puss. The witness’ name was mentioned in this conversation, as the callers were of the view that the retired police had no evidence against them or their alleged leader, Andre ‘Blackman’ Bryan.

In another recording, it took the witness less than a second to link a voice to that Of City Puss. He also went ahead to positively identify two other defendants in court, Rushane Williams and Joseph McDermott alias Papa.

Meanwhile, Defense Attorney Lloyd McFarlane who represents Bryan, suggested that the witness lied throughout his testimony. McFarlane referred to when the witness told the court that he was questioning Bryan in September 2017 and Christie offered him $100,000 for his release. At that time the witness said he told Christie to get him two rifles instead…this McFarlane termed as his bargaining chip, saying “the only reason we cannot call you a lying policeman is because you are no longer a police.” The retired officer conceded that he used “unconventional methods” to get information from Christie.

The defense will continue its cross-examination when the trial resumes on Tuesday.