Kalik S. Aaron Not Guilty of attempted murder. Photo: Facebook

Mr Kalik S. Aaron was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Patrick Thompson (in picture). Photo: VINO/File

Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Kim Hollins QC, represented her office. Photo: VINO/File

Mr Aaron was represented by Attorney-at-Law, Patrick Thompson, and the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Kim Hollins QC, represented her office.

The Government’s cased was premised on Mr Aaron being the ‘get-away driver’ in the 2016, shooting of Cheltenham.

It was alleged that Mr Aaron assisted the reported shooter from St Croix, Adrian Augustin.

The morning in question saw Mr Cheltenham being shot several times but he survived.  

In a strange twist, the shooter of Mr Cheltenham, St Croix native, Mr Augustin, was himself shot and killed on St Croix in 2018.

The crown case

In the case against Mr Aaron, the DPP stated that CCTV surveillance footage capture him and other man arriving at UPs in a yellow truck, around 1:15 AM, the morning of the shooting.  

Mr Aaron later said, he was the driver of the yellow truck.  

According to court documents, hours later both Messrs Augustin and Aaron existed the building, but rather than leaving immediately, footage showed Mr Aaron sitting on the steps at UPs, while Mr Augustin was walking back and forth.  

The DPP told the jury, “they waited for Cheltenham, and when he came outside, Mr Aaron go up and went to his truck.”

Mr Augustin then walked in Mr Cheltenham’s direction in the area of International Motors, according to Ms Hollis, then moments later shots were fired.

In his defense

However, Defense Attorney, Thompson, warned the jury to “be very careful when evaluating CCTV footage and fitting facts to an idea that has been sold to you.”  

He noted that giving a not guilty verdict is not doing Mr Aaron a favour but they must, “be mindful that camera footage produced by the crown had no audio”, therefore it undermines the evidence.”

Thompson also warned the jury that some of the footage used had “incorrect dates and times.”

In the end the Jury found on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, that Mr Aaron was not guilty of attempted murder of Dakeem Cheltenham.