Sensational theories of a “hit” by a South American assassination team and a narcotics officer's alleged “intimate” ties with defendant Blair Tucker's drug dealing marked a tense 16th day of testimony in the Lagoon Park murder trial.

Jurors watched intently as defence lawyers tried to portray Crown witness Nathan Darrell as a major drug dealer trying to “save his posterior” and discredit him by claiming he has an immunity deal with Police.

Ed Bailey - representing Terranz (Monster) Smith - questioned Mr. Darrell if a narcotics officer named “Cliffie”, “Clifford” or “Red Dog” was an “insider who assisted (drug) couriers”.

And lawyer Larry Scott challenged Mr. Darrell on his knowledge of Colombians and Bolivians being in Bermuda in July, 2001 and of an alleged “beef” that murder victim Stanley Lee had with them.

While Mr. Darrell admitted he had been told of the South Americans presence by Mr. Scott's client, Tucker, before Mr. Lee's arrival, he claimed he was told of the dispute only after July 28, the day he last saw Mr. Lee.

Smith, Tucker and James (Spooks) Dill deny killing Mr. Lee after cocaine he and Mr. Tucker had imported through an unknown courier were found to be of low quality.

The Crown, led by Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser, allege that Tucker stabbed the burly ex-con after relations soured during the American's month-long stay.

Police were shown Mr. Lee's “skeletonised” body by Smith on August 9, 2001 - 12 days after the alleged murder - in an unsuccessful bid for immunity.

Mr. Darrell left the courtroom with one quick glance at the defendants yesterday afternoon, after renouncing his involvement in drugs.

Freely admitting his involvement in drug importation and selling, Mr. Darrell admitted to Mr. Bailey that he had imported heroin - for Tucker - into Bermuda from Amsterdam by strapping drugs across his waist. And he also admitted taking $20,000 to New York where he was contacted by a supplier.

“I've done things of that nature in the past,” Mr. Darrell, now a supervisor with Works and Engineering, said. “I no longer deal with that.”

Later he said: “I don't deal drugs. That was then.”

Mr. Bailey asked Mr. Darrell: “You see, Mr. Darrell, I put it to you, that you were granted immunity by Police for your drug dealing in this case.

“Am I correct that cocaine and marijuana was found in your home when you were arrested and it's correct that Police were aware of your drug activity and you would have us to believe that in spite of all that - they're not prosecuting you?”

Mr. Darrell replied: “I don't know why I wasn't charged. I never asked. And immunity was never mentioned to me.”

Mr. Bailey added: “Or is it just that you're Police's favourite boy?

“Who is Red Dog?” Mr. Bailey continued.

“That's an officer who is referred to as Red Dog. Yes, a narcotics officer,” Mr. Darrell replied.

“Is his named Cliffie, Clifford?” the lawyer asked. “How do you know him?”

“Through Mr. Tucker,” Mr. Darrell admitted. “I was introduced to him one day at Mr. Tucker's house.”

“Was he an insider who assisted couriers?”, Mr. Bailey added, getting an affirmative answer.

When Mr. Bailey suggested that he knew of Sonesta Beach staff from Antigua who were involved in the drug trade, Mr. Darrell said: “Mr. Tucker told me he was going to get some money from a guy on the staff from Antigua. This was on the 28th when I saw them (Tucker, Dill and Mr. Lee) in Warwick headed west.”

Mr. Darrell admitted to lawyer Liz Christopher, representing Dill, that he was “intimately” involved in Tucker's drug dealing and that “Red Dog” was similarly involved, saying: “Yes, I found out about it later on.”

He also admitted to both Ms Christopher and to Mr. Scott that he at first told Police he last saw Mr. Lee - known to the Bermudians as “Sha” or Shawn Russells - on Saturday, July 21.

“So, it's correct to say that you now say that it was July 28, after getting the assistance of Police, that they reasoned with you it was the 28?” she said. Mr. Darrell admitted this was true.

“How many days after you last saw Sha did you consider the possibility that he could be dead?” Ms Christopher asked.

“Maybe about five or seven days,” Mr. Darrell replied firmly.

“If you really thought the guy was dead, would you have called Police?” she probed, only to be told: “I don't know.”

Mr. Darrell later said to Mr. Scott he gave that answer “because I know what Sha was here for and may not have called Police because of that”.

Calling Mr. Darrell “the Teflon Kid”, Mr. Scott said his admissions to Police in seven caution statements in six days were “an attempt at saving your posterior” as “Police were closing in on you”.

“In your statements, you said Blair and Monster were trying to fit you up (for murder) because you had Sha's clothes,” Mr. Scott continued. “Why would you make that implication? That's not a fair implication.”

Mr. Darrell replied: “I was not aware of an investigation (into Mr. Lee's disappearance and death) until Police came to my house.

“I wasn't hoping to gain anything from this. I was just telling the truth. I am just telling the truth,” he added.

The trial continues this morning before Puisne Justice Norma Wade Miller.