Crown counsel Juan Wolffe went on the offensive yesterday hammering at James (Spook) Dill?s conflicting statements and testimony in the marathon Lagoon Park murder trial.

But Dill, 57, continued to deny involvement in the killing of American Stanley Lee, parrying Mr. Wolffe?s depiction of him as ?part and parcel? of the plot to murder by repeating that he was merely a drug addict, out looking to get high on July 28, 2001.

Dill, Robert Blair Tucker and Terranz (Monster) Smith deny killing Mr. Lee, known to Immigration as Sean Russells, and to the people he met as ?Sha? in isolated Lagoon Park, Ireland Island South. Smith revealed the body to Police 13 days later.

Dill?s testimony was interrupted more than six times by his lawyer, Liz Christopher, who challenged Mr. Wolffe?s questioning, particularly his assertions that Det. Sgt. Ronald Green was not cross-examined on whether Dill was stymied on his requests for a lawyer.

Puisne Justice Norma Wade Miller ? apparently mindful of the fatigue factor in a trial that started on November 10 ? often gently turned back Ms Christopher?s objections but entertained two sets of legal arguments in the absence of the jury.

In the day?s most dramatic moment, Dill refused to describe the hand motion he says Tucker used to stab the burly ex-con.

?No, no, I don?t want to get into that,? Dill said, dropping his head and turning away from the jury. When Mr. Wolffe repeated the request, Dill repeated ?I don?t want to get into that?.

Eventually, he said: ?You see, I saw him take the knife out and stab him in the back. Just before the knife hit, I turned my head.?

During this exchange Ms Christopher attempted to object, but was told by Mrs. Justice Wade Miller to ?please, please, sit down? ? allowing a frown to slip out.

Dill defiantly countered Mr. Wolffe, without really answering with a gesture.

Mr. Wolffe continued: ?I put it to you that as your statement of August 12 says, you were right next to Mr. Tucker when he stabbed Sha, not some feet away as you say now.?

?No, no, that?s not true,? Dill replied.

Dill admitted being ?a Somerset boy? and having travelled to work in Dockyard, Ireland Island North past Lagoon Park daily for many years.

But he added: ?I?ve never been up there. Never. I worked with a lot of elderly people on Dockyard. That?s how I know the history.?

?Your statement says ?we left him? laying face up in the trees. How would you know that?s the way that he was, laying on his back?? Mr. Wolffe continued.

?See, this is from conversations that I had with Tucker. That?s how he described him,? Dill replied. ?He told me the guy was begging for his life laying on his back. He (Tucker) did.?

?You would agree, wouldn?t you, that you were the mind of reason when you and Blair left those trees (where Mr. Lee was stabbed after the initial attack),? Mr. Wolffe said. Later he said it was Dill who suggested that Tucker change his blood stained shirt and plotted the disposal of a knife and clothes.

Dill repeated three times ?I was never in those trees? before saying: ?I was frightened.?

And when Mr. Wolffe continued to press his line that Dill was an active player in the plot, saying ?you were cool, calm and collected? throughout the day, Dill said: ?I was only doing what I was told. Why do you keep using that ?cool, calm and collected? when I know I wasn?t??

To which Mr. Wolffe replied: ?I?m asking the questions here, Mr. Dill, ever the chess player aren?t you, three steps ahead.?

Dill continued: ?Do you know how I felt that day? Do you know? You?re telling me how I felt, how can you do that??

?You?re a grown man of high intelligence, aren?t you Mr. Dill,? Mr. Wolffe asked.

?I wouldn?t say that, I never went to high school,? the self-confessed cocaine addict replied.

?In fact, you were an extremely gifted and talented chess player. In fact you were Bermuda?s best chess player, acclaimed worldwide,? the prosecutor continued. ?Oh, come on, Mr. Dill, let?s be real, you were our chess champion.?

?I was good,? Dill replied.

?Better than most,? Mr. Wolffe pressed, smiling as he sprung a trap. Dill replied: ?Simply the best.?

?And you would have us believe over the last two days you were just a pawn in this matter,? Mr. Wolffe continued. ?Sometimes the pawn could be the most dangerous piece, isn?t it??

?You have to work at it. What are you saying? No, I wouldn?t characterise myself as a pawn. I?d characterise myself as a drug addict in this whole scenario,? Dill countered.

The trial continues this morning.