As the lengthy trial within a trial for the Bladen 12 winds down, a key witness took the stand in court today.
GI3 officer from Punta Gorda, Cpl Muschamp was cross examined for his involvement in the caution statement given by Moises Perez, one of the accused.
The defendants are of the belief that Muschamp physically abused Perez to get the caution statement. But throughout the cross examination today, Muschamp denied these claims. Attorney Dickie Bradley shared more with us at the end of today's proceedings.
Dickie Bradley, Attorney
"This is an important witness. The allegation against him by some of the defendants is that he is the one that beat them. He kicked, stomped, he beat them men bad. I will not release the photographs and the medical papers."
"I will speak to attorney Bannner about this matter. But this is more than just this case. We just simply cannot, if the allegations are true, can't proceed this way. There's an important reason, you know, because when somebody says something to the police or they write something incriminating themselves, that is important evidence."
"The law in our country is that you cannot use anything obtained from an accused if he was threatened, promised anything, coerced, and worse if he was beaten and tortured. This officer is accused of doing things he should not have done."
Reporter
"Up to this point, it appears that all that he has said and written is contrary to any allegations being raised by these accused."
Dickey Bradley, Attorney
"Well, if you had been around the block like me and you had hang out at Wagner Lane and on the street side, you will know, as I said in court, no police ever, ever come to court and say, yes, your honor, I kicked him in the mouth. Yes, your honor, it's me who knock out his teeth. it's me who burn the testicles. Never, never, never. So we are not surprised, we are not gullible. He will come and say that. Why did he gave me water for? The man said, he give me water to wash my face because I was under blood."
"No marks on his forehead. he bursts his nose. They have pictures. They don't beat themselves, man, one man batty is burst up. he hasnt beat himself. In fact, when they went to court just two or three days afterwards, they made the complaint and showed the matter. And the police had taken them to hospital."
