Witness: White stabbed woman in neck during fight

A state witness on Wednesday testified that murder accused Haniyfa White stabbed Julene Bryan in the neck during a fight on May 16, 2007, as the long-delayed murder trial got underway in the No. 5 Supreme Court.

Jurdie Miller, the first civilian witness to take the stand before a seven-woman, five-man jury, identified White, of Sion Hill, St James, as the person who inflicted the deadly wound on Bryan.

Miller, a resident of Six Men’s, St Peter, told the court that on that day, he had travelled home on the same bus as White, who lived in the same area at the time. He said she was walking about 15 feet ahead of him when she entered a nearby shop. He said that while passing the establishment, he heard female voices arguing and cursing.

“I tap back to see what was going on, and that is when I see [a woman] smash a bottle in Haniyfa head,” he said, adding that Bryan, who was also in the shop, looked “in shock”.

According to Miller, White, who had blood on her forehead, said: “I ******* coming back hey now,” before heading home.

Miller said he also went home, and he told relatives and others about the fight. Shortly after, he saw White return to the shop area with “something wrapped in a newspaper tucked under her shoulder”, which he estimated to be about a foot and a half long.

“She went into the shop and come back out without this paper and ask me, ‘Wuh part she gone?’ I tell she I don’t know wuh part anybody is, because me and she wasn’t no friends at the time,” the witness said.

White, he continued, walked in the direction of the house of the woman who had hit her, but then turned toward Bryan’s house, and started cursing, saying that if the woman was in there she needed to come out.

Miller said White picked up an object and threw it at the house, striking a window. Bryan then came outside and the two argued.

He said Bryan had nothing in her hand and was telling White to leave her property.

“They clash, start fighting on the ground. Then I saw Haniyfa White pull a knife from her waist and stab Julene right down through the neck. Julene bound up and run about 15 feet and collapse on the step. Then I run cross there, tek off my scarf and try to stop the blood from coming up through the wound,” he recounted.

The incident, he recalled, took place after 6 p.m., as the television programme Days of Our Lives was starting, and it was still bright outside. He noted there were streetlights about 10 feet from where it happened.

During cross-examination, defence attorney Safiya Moore challenged the witness about discrepancies between his testimony and a statement he gave to police the day after the incident.

“Did you tell the police that you saw Julene come out of the house with a stick or a piece of iron in her hand?” the lawyer asked the witness.

“No, I did not tell the police that,” he replied.

“Do you remember telling the police that Julene start to hit Haniyfa with the object two times on her body?…On her left and right shoulders?”

Miller again denied saying this, telling the court that there were things contained in his statement that he never told the police.

“I want to suggest to you that Julene was your friend and you are here to tell lies on Haniyfa because you did not get along,” Moore stated.

“What I saying is the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” the witness insisted.

Three other witnesses also gave evidence, including Bryan’s partner and her mother, as well as a police photographer.

The trial continues Thursday before Madam Justice Pamela Beckles. Acting Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Krystal Delaney and Senior State Counsel Kevin Forde represent the State.