An anonymous witness yesterday identified Thorne Edwards as the gunman who fatally shot businessman Kurt McCartney during a physical altercation after he left the Last Man Standing Bar in Gambier Village.

Edwards, Okell Farrington, Lyndera Curry and Sumya Ingraham are on trial for McCartney's murder and armed robbery on October 24, 2013. Businessman Terry Delancy is charged with being an accessory after the fact. They have pleaded not guilty to the charges at their trial before Senior Justice Stephen Isaacs.

The witness, identified only as AB, testified via video link from behind an opaque screen. According to the witness, prior to the shooting, McCartney was walking with two women and appeared to be in an argument with one of them. Edwards joined the fray, after the woman who was arguing with McCartney signaled to him, the court heard.

The witness said that Edwards shoved McCartney, who responded in kind. That's when, according to the witness, Edwards pulled a handgun and shot McCartney in the face. After the shooting, the witness alleged that Edwards ran into bushes while the two women and Farrington got into McCartney's Hummer and rolled over his body as they headed toward West Bay Street.

Responding to questions from prosecutor Roger Thompson, AB said that he had known Edwards for about three months prior to the murder and saw him about twice every two weeks. The witness also claimed that he knew Farrington by his alias "Warren". AB said he had known Farrington for six weeks before the murder and saw him three times.

The witness claimed that he saw the crime unfold while outside the Last Man Standing Bar. He testified that he had bought a Black and Mild cigar and a Guinness from inside the establishment before returning outside. However, the bar's owner and bartender Herbert Knowles said he did not recall anyone purchasing a Black and Mild cigar and Guinness that night. Knowles recalled that business was slow, and besides McCartney, there were four other customers, whom he knew, in the bar.

Shown a photograph of McCartney's body in the street, AB said, "That's the gentleman that the female was arguing with, who Thorne shot in the face." AB was also shown a photo of McCartney's Hummer, which he described as the "very expensive jeep that the female drove over the gentleman with". The prosecutor asked AB to describe the women. He replied, "At the time, one was dark, the other a light brown complexion. The dark one had braided hair."

The witness said he saw the defendants in a cell at the Central Detective Unit. AB claimed that he overheard them discussing their alibis. He said that Farrington told his friends not to tell anyone that he was also known as Warren.
When an officer called for Okell Farrington, the person whom he knew as Warren, answered, AB testified. He said that Edwards complimented the dark girl on her braids.

AB continues his testimony today.

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