Shooting victim lost child, jury hears
A woman who was shot along with her gang-affiliated boyfriend described how she'd found out she was pregnant just days beforehand.A tearful Renee Kuchler told a jury she had to have an abortion on doctors' advice after being shot three times and suffering serious injuries.She was attacked, along with boyfriend Shaki Minors as they left a late-night movie at Southside Cinema on Friday November 13, 2009.Each suffered multiple gunshot wounds, and each took the witness stand at Supreme Court this morning to testify in the case against two men accused of attempted murder.Mr Minors, 28, told the jury that he was an associate of the 42 "crew" at the time of the attack, and that it was engaged in "war" with the rival Parkside crew.Prosecutors say alleged Parkside associate Jahmel Blakeney, 30, masterminded the attack after spotting the couple at the cinema.They allege that Parkide associate Sanchey Grant, 20, was the gunman who later opened fire.Both defendants deny attempted murder, possession of a firearm and possession of ammunition.During her evidence, Ms Kuchler, 26, explained she was a teacher at CedarBridge at the time of the attack. She had driven to the cinema with Mr Minors to see the late showing of the movie Precious. As they left, gunshots rang out.Crying as she recalled the attack, she told the jury she was hit twice in the abdomen by bullets and once in the leg. The bullet to her leg destroyed a major artery, and Ms Kuchler still walks with a cane.She also told the jury: "I had actually found out I was pregnant on the Tuesday and I was shot on the Friday."She explained she had to terminate the pregnancy on medical advice after the shooting because of the drugs and X-rays she needed for her treatment.She did not see the gunman.In his evidence, Mr Minors said he grew up in the 42 area but used to have friends in Parkside too."I was always associated with 42nd," he admitted. He explained his attention had been caught while in the movie theatre by four young women who were staring at him and texting on their phones.He said one of the women worked on Court Street in Pembroke and was affiliated with Parkside. He also explained that at the time of the attack, 42 and Parkside were engaged in a feud."My brother passed away from it," he told the jury.Shortly after he and Ms Kuchler left the cinema and got back into her car, he heard at least four gunshots ring out.He was shot twice to his right arm, once to his left arm and once to his stomach, and still suffers from numbness in his left hand. He said he saw the gunman, who was dressed in dark clothes and was an estimated 19 to 25 years old.In her opening speech to the jury, prosecutor Larissa Burgess said there may be evidence later in the trial to show Mr Blakeney was also at the cinema that night and purchased tickets for the film, but left without seeing it and drove back to town.After the shooting, he was spotted at a police roadblock by Double Dip in St David's driving a black Kia jeep, travelling at high speed.According to Ms Burgess, Mr Grant was lying back in the front passenger side, and concealed from view. The jeep was eventually stopped by police and both men were arrested."You've heard me say that there was a sole shooter at Southside. It's the Crown's case that that shooter was Mr Grant and that Mr Blakeney was the mastermind in this," alleged the prosecutor."He had seen Shaki Minors at Southside cinema and he made the effort to drive back to town and drive back to St David's to facilitate the shooting."You may also hear that this attempted murder was a retaliatory attack by Parkside on 42."She told the jury the prosecution will call expert witnesses to give evidence about gunshot residue and DNA later in the trial.The case continues.