alleged accomplice said in a Police statement.

Co-accused Sheldon Franks said that if he had known that Furbert was armed that night, he never would have allowed him to "do something so stupid''.

Franks 32, of Dundonald Street, Pembroke and Furbert, 25, of Rocklands Estate, Warwick, are alleged to have murdered Caines on July 6, 1996.

The Crown allege that Franks and Furbert murdered Caines when a bullet was fired through a door into a house on 27 Curving Avenue around 9.30 p.m..

In a Police statement recorded on August 8, 1996 that Det. Sgt. Tracy Adams read out in Supreme court yesterday, Franks told investigating officers that it was Furbert who had fired the gun.

The day before, on August 7, 1996, Franks said that he had been at a friend's house and decided to stop at his home that evening to change his shirt before going to his girlfriend's house.

He said he met Furbert on Curving Avenue and (Furbert) suggested that since Caines was inside a home further down the alley, they could get back at him that night.

Franks said that he went home to get a stick and came back and met Furbert.

They went down to the house on 27 Curving Avenue together.

Once there, he said they heard voices and concluded that there was more than one person inside.

Franks said he told Furbert that he did not wish to follow through with their plans to beat Caines up.

Consequently, they walked to the front of the house. Franks said he was in front of Furbert when he heard a shot followed by some person running out of the house.

When he went around to the back of the house, Franks said he saw a male figure bent over and he had to go closer to get a better look.

Someone else called out his name, he said, and the figure began to run away and he gave chase for a short distance.

Franks accuses Furbert In a follow up question and answer interview with Det. Sgt. Adams, Franks said he went home to get a stick because he wanted to scare Caines.

He said several cars, cycles and homes were broken into and neighbours had said that Caines had been seen in the area.

On two occasions Franks said his own apartment had been broken into. The first happened in March or April 1996, while the most recent event occurred on July 5, 1996 one day before Caines was killed. Neither break-in was reported to Police.

Franks said he never saw who was responsible for either break-in and it was his intention to scare Caines, not to hit him.

Throughout his Police statement Franks was steadfast in his assertion that he did not possess or discharge a firearm the night that Caines met his end.

And he told Police that the only reason he chased Caines down the road toward Middletown was to scare him.

However Caines ran off before he got close enough and was too far down the road.

In any event, Franks said he heard Police sirens and wondered how they came so fast.

Franks also told Police that he told Furbert to leave Caines alone that night but Furbert fired a shot into the house.

And he said that at the time the shot was discharged he had his back to Furbert.

Franks, who is right handed, was unable to explain -- if Furbert fired the shot -- why gun shot residue was found on his right hand and on the sweat shirt and pants he was wearing that night.