Businessman Collin Forde was sitting on the steps of his sports bar at Baxter’s Road, St Michael having a beer and talking to another man when he was shot and killed during a robbery on May 10, 2016.
The details of that deadly shooting were outlined in the No. 2 Supreme Court today after Chris Avian Amal Lord, of Thomas Gap, President Kennedy Drive, St Michael today pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter in the matter.
Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas said an eyewitness told police that the 50-year-old Forde was sitting on a white plastic chair at the front of Colin’s Sports Bar and Lounge wearing gold chains around his neck as usual.
Chris Avian Amal Lord (FP)
While engaged in conversation the witness observed two men running from the empty lot next door, both with their heads and faces covered and each armed with a gun. According to the eyewitness they run directly at Forde and without saying anything both men began shooting at him. The eyewitness then observed the two men standing over Forde who was struggling to get into the bar. They removed the gold chains from his neck and ran back through the open lot.
Another eyewitness, who knew Lord said she saw him running away with another man. She was able to identify him by his body structure only, since he was wearing a mask at the time.
On June 3, 2016 a warrant was executed at the residence of Lord’s girlfriend and he was detained.
He was told of the probe and said, “I did not kill Colin” before he was taken to the Glebe Police Station. Lord was then told of his rights and he replied: “I do not want a lawyer.”
When police told him that they believed that he was one of the men responsible for the murder he said: “I told you I did not kill Colin. I was at home with my mother and my daughter. You can check with my mother and you will see. I did not leave home that night. I think my friend . . . come and shout me that same night . . . I am telling the truth.”
However, according to the facts, Lord, who was 20 years old at the time, admitted to the crime in a two-page statement that he dictated to police.
In the statement he said on the day of Forde’s death he received a firearm from another man with the intent to rob the deceased at gunpoint for his jewelry. He took the gun home and put it in a bag and spoke to another person about what he planned to do. He told the person how he needed to dress to execute the robbery. They “geared up” and walked to Baxter’s Road where he gave the other person a gun.
He then run up the steps where Forde was sitting and snatched at his chains.
“After this I heard two shots fired, I already had the two chains. Colin rushed first in an aggressive motion as if to do something. After being hit he spin to go in the opposite direction and tripped, landing on some area but still trying to get up. The pendant flew off and two more shots were fired, so I was not able to search for it so we ran off.”
He said he later “broke” the chains “in two” and sold them to two different people – one piece for $800 which he split between him and the other person. He brought groceries with his share. The other piece of gold was sold for $600, Lord told police in his statement. He is represented by attorney-at-law Safiya Moore.
The Crown Counsel then told Justice Randall Worrell that a post mortem was conducted on the deceased and the pathologist found that cause of death was due to hemorrhagic shock from multiple gunshot wounds.
Following the facts, a pre-sentencing report was requested on Lord along with details on the time that he has spent on remand. The sentencing phase of the case will continue on January 27, 2020 when the prosecution and the defence will make submissions.
