Judge notes lack of common sense in investigations

Justice Anthony Carmona yesterday noted the lack of common sense investigations into the murder of four-year-old Amy Emily Annamunthodo. In the second day of summing up yesterday Carmona noted the police failed to take a photo of the hole in a door through which witness Anthony Rocke claimed he saw Marlon King punching Amy while she hung from her hair.

Carmona said: “There is something called common sense investigations, you would take out a picture of the hole in the door. This of course was not done.” He told the jury they would have to determine whether the lack of the photo made any inroads in Rocke’s evidence. “You will have to ask yourself does the witness have control of what pictures the police take out?” he said.

King is accused of beating Amy, his stepdaughter, to death at his Ste Madeleine Street, Marabella, home on May 15, 2006. Indicating that Dr Pulchan’s evidence was that rigor mortis already had set in when the child was brought to the hospital, he said: “That falls within the timeframe of Anthony Rocke’s evidence (of when the beating took place).”

King’s evidence was that the child was alive at 4 pm, the judge said, adding: “You will have to ask yourself if she was alive at 4 o clock why then was she in full rigor mortis.” Referring to his conviction for wounding and an incident where he “grand charge” King with a knife, the judge said Rocke was of bad character.

“His conviction and reprehensible behaviour bare on his credibility directly because it provides a reason to doubt the evidence he has given in this particular case,” he said. He noted that bad character looms great for both the State and defence since King has three previous convictions. The matter was adjourned to Monday.