THREE of the seven youth killed by the police at Braeton on March 14 last year were identified by civilians at the Spanish Town morgue as the persons responsible for the murder of Phillip Morris, the principal of Hartlands Primary School, a police superintendent testified at the coroner’s inquest on Monday.

Superintendent Dormar Harrison, who is in charge of South St Catherine, said that the witnesses pointed out Christopher Grant, Reagon Beckford and Andre Virgo at the Spanish Town morgue as the ones who murdered Morris.

Harrison was being cross-examined by attorney Carolyn Reid, who is appearing for the police.

Morris was chased and shot in his back on March 13 by armed thugs who had held up a shop and bar in Old Braeton where he and friends were playing dominoes.

On the morning when the seven youth were killed by the police in a house at 1088 Fifth Seal Way, the cops had said that Morris’ murderers were among the seven.

On Monday, Harrison testified that on March 14, 2001, Detective Constable Marlon Brandon was sent to the morgue with civillians who had given statements that they witnessed Morris’ killing.

Attorney Richard Rowe, who is representing the estate of Tamayo Wilson, one of the seven youth, objected to Reid’s line of cross-examination on the grounds that it was irrelevant. He said that the issue of the principal’s death was not mentioned during Harrison’s evidence in chief and was being raised for the first time, when the attorneys appearing for the families of the deceased had already conducted their cross-examination of Harrison and had no opportunity to respond.

Rowe charged that a second coroner’s inquest was being conducted into the principal’s death.

Reid, however, responded that Rowe and the other attorneys representing the families of the deceased had the statements and could have raised the issue.

The coroner, Lorna Errar-Gayle told Rowe that “these matters are relevant and germane”.

Reid also questioned Harrison about an aerial search launched by Assistant Commissioner of Police Jevene Bent on the morning of March 14, 2001.

Reid: “What prompted it?”

Harrison: “A report that men were being treated at a Seventh-day Adventist Church for what the police high command thought were gunshot wounds.”

Reid: “Do you know which Seventh-day church it was?”

Harrison: “We weren’t certain, but ACP Bent sent one team to a tent and another team to a church not far from the Petcom gas station in Braeton. She also ordered a helicopter to search.”

Also testifying at Monday’s sitting was Marcia Dunbar, the government forensic expert who analysed swabs taken from the hands of the seven youth.

Dunbar said that her analysis of swabs and extracts taken from Lanceford Clarke, one of the seven, revealed the presence of gunpowder residue at elevated levels on the back and palm of his right hand which indicated that the deceased had fired a gun.

In reply to a question from Janet Scotland, assistant deputy director of public prosecutions, who led the evidence in chief, Dunbar said that gunpowder residue can remain at elevated levels on the hand of a shooter up to 72 hours if the person does not remove it.

Dunbar also testified that her analysis of swabs and extracts taken from the palm of Curtis Smith, another of the deceased, revealed elevated levels of gunpowder residue.