Donald Gaskin was the key eyewitness in the trial of Jason Paulino for murder, but tonight Paulino is a free man and gaskin is the one in police custody because police say he lied on the stand.
Today in the Supreme Court Paulino went on trial for allegedly killing Nicholee Lewis in 2004. Gaskin was the crown's first witness. He testified that on February 2nd of 2004 near Bismark Club he saw a male person fire four shots in the direction of Nicholee Lewis. But though he saw the entire shooting, he didn't recognize the shooter. Crown Counsel Kamar Henry asked Gaskin if he had ever seen the shooter before. Gaskin replied no. Without that positive identification Henry couldn't proceed and Justice Troadio Gonzalez directed the jury to declare Jason Paulino "not guilty" of murder.
Paulino was released from custody and that is when David Gaskin went from key witness to under lock and key. His mother Lupita Gaskin came to us to complain
when police detained her son David.
Lupita Gaskin, Mother of Detainee
"My son went to court this morning as a witness and he told the Magistrate (Judge) the truth (about) what he think he knows about what's going on and when the case done the young man walked down and then from there the police just took him to station and locked him down. They wanted to charge him. For what, I don't know."
Keith Swift,
Have you tried to see your son?
Lupita Gaskin,
"I went to see my son and the police didn't want me to see my son or talk to him or give him something and I talked to Mr. Bradley and Mr. Bradley came and he made me see my son and I gave him some water and thing."
Keith Swift,
Why do you think they have your son detained?
Lupita Gaskin,
"Because I guess the police didn't like to see the guy walk free and they hold my son for that but I don't see no reason why they hold my son for that."
When we checked at newstime Gaskin was still in police custody. Crown Counsel Henry told 7NEWS that Gaskin is detained because his testimony on the stand this morning contradicted a sworn statement he made to police a few days after the shooting. At that time, he explicitly stated that he immediately recognized the shooter as Jason Paulino who he grew up with. Gaskin will face charges of either fabrication of false evidence or contradicting previous evidence. Both are considered serious charges.
It is interesting to note that another key witness against Paulino was Raymond "Killa" Gentle. He showed up to court today to testify but never had to. As we've reported Gentle is accused of killing Aniver Palacio last month in a shootout. It is believed Palacio was hired to kill Gentle to prevent him from testifying against Paulino.
And if all that isn't enough, Paulino was alleged to have killed Nicholee Lewis in order to prevent Lewis from testifying against Paulino's brother Jamie Dawson. Nicholee Lewis had allegedly seen Jamie Dawson kill Maurice Neal inside Bismark Club in December of 2002. Jamie Dawson is currently awaiting a third trial for that murder.
As for today's "not guilty" pronouncement from the jury, Jason Paulino can now never be retried for that killing.
