Examination-in-Chief of Benjamin Atkins

R v PETER DAVID MORRIS Examination-in-Chief of Benjamin Atkins SET SCENE: – Name. Age. Occupation. – Address. How long lived there. Who does he live with. – Who are neighbours. What number is her house. Who does she live with. – [Lead] Who else has lived in her house in recent past. – What part of her house did he live in. KNOWLEDGE OF DEFENDANT: – How well does he know Mr. Morris. – Where has he seen him. How often. – Ask how old Mr. Morris is. Describe physical appearance (hair etc). How built? How tall? What is his skin colour? – Does he know what Mr. Morris does for a living. Studying what? OCTOBER 2003: – When did Mr. Morris leave 47 Hirsch field Drive? When did he know Mr. Morris will be leaving? How? – Any reason for him to speak to Ms. Rose about Mr. Morris moving out. What did Ms. Rose say to him about Mr. Morris moving out? When was this? – So when Mr. Morris coming round (Sat 1st Nov). Why? – Where was Ms. Rose going to be at that time. – Does he know what items belonged to Mr. Morris. Where were they kept? – Why did Ms. Rose tell him all of this? Was there anything she wanted him to do? What did he reply? – What did he understand by what she asked for. SATURDAY 1ST NOVEMBER: – On Sat 1st Nov, what did he do. [Kept eye out] How did he do this. – What was first thing that happened in the morning in Ms. Rose’s garden. – What did he do [look over fence]. Who did he see [Mr. Morris]. What did he do [said “hello”]. – What was he doing at the time. – Describe fence. Explain “Trellis”. How tall is he? – What did he see Mr. Morris do. Where was it [bike]  kept. Ask usher to pass paper with sketch plan to witness. Ask witness if he recognizes it. Ask for it to be marked “Exhibit BA/1”. – Where was bike on Plan. Where was he standing at the time. – Was that all he took out of the shed. How could he tell? [noise]. Describe noise. – How did he react to this? What did he do then. What did he say. – What was Mr. Morris’s reply. How was it said. How did he react to this reply. Why? – What else could he see in the garden? Where were they? How did he see them. – What did Mr. Morris then do. What was Mr. Morris going to do with these items? – How did it seem that Mr. Morris would take the things. – Describe chairs and tables. Where were the two wooden chairs Ms. Rose spoke of. – Was anything else said between him and Mr. Morris? What was his reply. TABLE AND CHAIRS NOT BELONGING TO MR. MORRIS: – Who do the table and chairs belong to? How does he know. When bought. Where bought. Why does he remember it? How much had Ms. Rose paid for the tables and chairs. – How would he describe that amount for those goods (excessive)? – Describe chairs, any special features [had arms]. – Who owned the ladders? Why did he think that. How did he react when Mr. Morris was taking the ladders? How did Mr. Morris react? – What did Mr. Morris then do. How did Mr. Morris take all of the things together? – What was he doing at the time. Did he have any other reason to speak to Mr. Morris? How did Mr. Morris react. What did he then do. Why? SUNDAY: – When did Ms. Rose get to hear about what happened. – What did she say to him. Anything else she said? Where from? When he was looking into the garden of Ms. Rose, where were these items? – Who else came to the garden of 47 Hirsch field Drive on Saturday 1st November? Where could those items have been kept? – What did he then do. Thank you Mr. Atkins. Please wait there as the Defendant’s Counsel may ask you a few questions.