Alleged victim can't ID attacker in Al Potter assault trial
The alleged victim in a high-profile assault trial reversed his testimony at provincial court in St. John's Tuesday, in a case with links to motorcycle clubs and allegations of witness intimidation.
The man had earlier expressed fears for his safety, and testified two weeks ago that he couldn't remember what happened on the night in question.
But on Tuesday, his memory was better — although he still couldn't identify the man accused of assaulting him.
Al Potter, an associate of the Vikings Motorcycle Club, is accused of assaulting the man at a downtown St. John's bed sitting house last September.
The alleged victim testified Tuesday that an acquaintance who also lived at that house repeatedly asked him for a favour one night — to get a gun for him, even saying at one point it was for the Hells Angels.
The alleged victim testified that he kept saying no.
That's when he said another large man — who he described as six feet tall, about 300 pounds, with a Mohawk hairstyle — started punching him in the head.
There were five or six blows in total. He blocked some with his arms, and he managed to escape with a black eye, a bloody nose and a cut on his face.
'Wouldn't be able to point him out'
Crown lawyer Kathleen O'Reilly asked if the person who committed that assault was in the courtroom.
The alleged victim said: "I wouldn't be able to point him out."
Asked why not, he replied: "I didn't get a good enough look at him."
The alleged victim said he was more concerned about escaping the situation than trying to identify his attacker.
Meanwhile, defence lawyer John Kelly raised questions about the alleged victim's own criminal past — a past that includes a number of thefts, and assaulting his then-girlfriend.
The alleged victim denied allegations that he was actually the one looking to sell a "burner" — slang for a gun.
"Absolutely not," he told the court.
His testimony wrapped up in the afternoon.
For the rest of the day,the court heard arguments about the admissibility of statements made to police by another witness.
There was a heavy police presence at court again Tuesday.
Gang colours are banned in the courtroom, but a half dozen Vikings associates in street clothes watched the testimony.
Proceedings are scheduled to resume on Thursday.