Evidence against gang president ‘like episode of CSI’
While evidence in a trial against the president of the Tribesmen motorcycle gang might ‘‘seem like an episode of CSI’’, jurors would wish they could switch channels, a defence lawyer has said.
Yesterday was the first day of Elder Browne’s trial in the Christchurch District Court on charges of possession of methamphetamine for supply, possession of LSD, possession of forged banknotes, and failing to carry out obligations in relation to a computer search. Browne has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Crown prosecutor Mitchell McClenaghan set out how Browne’s arrest came as a result of police covertly observing his movements and tracking his vehicle.
McClenaghan said police had already investigated Browne in
2019 over suspected drug dealing within the Tribesmen gang. While Browne was not charged then, two of his associates were arrested on methamphetamine charges.
In July last year, police launched a follow-up investigation, monitoring Browne’s comings and goings. When Browne and an associate visited a Christchurch shopping centre on July 29, police arrested them and seized Browne’s vehicle. McClenaghan told the jury
$15,000 worth of methamphetamine was found in a plastic bag hidden behind the petrol flap, while three LSD tablets were found in the compartment on the driver’s door. In the central console of the car police found cellphones and cash, and in a dashboard compartment they discovered 14 forged $50 notes. Browne also had rubber gloves in his possession. When police searched Browne’s home they found more ‘‘items of interest’’ including more than $2000 in cash, rubber gloves, rubber bands and an electronic scale.
Browne’s lawyer, Tudor Clee, said the only reason his client was on trial was because he had borrowed a mate’s car. He told the jury that while some of the evidence, such as Browne being secretly photographed by police and his car being tracked, might seem ‘‘like an episode of CSI’’ – the jury would soon realise the trial had no ‘‘gotcha moment’’ like in the American television drama centred around forensic investigators. Clee said jurors would not hear any evidence linking Browne directly to the illicit drugs, such as fingerprints or DNA, nor evidence from anyone that had seen Browne touching those items.
‘‘If this was an episode of CSI, and you sat for an hour without hearing any evidence that linked to the person charged, it may be that you wished you had switched channels,’’ Clee said.
During cross-examination, Detective James Stent said there were no traces of drugs found on the surgical gloves in Browne’s possession. ‘‘And would you accept those gloves were found in July 2020, when we were right in the middle of a global pandemic?’’ asked Clee. Stent agreed.
The trial was to resume today.