The Assault and the lieChristine was living on the first floor of 33 Devonshire Street with a friend, Paula, and John Hamilton-Marshall. There was also a housekeeper, Olive Brooker.
A few days earlier, on 12 April, Lucky Gordon came to 33 Devonshire Street looking for Christine, where he assaulted John Hamilton-Marshall and the police were called. It is unclear if Lucky Gordon is charged for this crime. On 17 April, Stephen Ward, according to the police, stands surety (bail) for Lucky Gordon and he is released from custody. In court Lucky Gordon said: “Stephen Ward is the man who told me Christine wanted to see me, as the result of a telephone conversation, that night” (page 55 of transcript) On the same day, John Hamilton-Marshall (JHM) and Christine argue and slap each other, Christine says “Paula, John and I were in the middle of the living room. John was getting aggressive towards her. I stepped forward and slapped his face. He slapped me back. There were only two blows exchanged. John did not punch or kick me or injure me at all. He may have caused my cheek to redden, but he didn’t make me bleed at all.” (JHM) says in court “We wrestled on the couch, she kicked me and I her in the face, then she said stop, I may have kicked her very hard, but not hard” (JHM) says to the Newspapers in a paid for interview “...I was responsible for all of her injuries” Some time later (around 9pm) JHM leaves the flat at around the same time as Clarence Camacchio arrives and shortly after that Rudolph “Truello” Fenton. Fenton and Camacchio are both friends and friends of Paula. Christine hasn’t met Fenton before but may have met Camacchio- she cant be sure. Some time after midnight they plan of going to Christines flat and then go on to a club. Christine is the first out the door behind her on the stair is Fenton then Camacchio and at the top of the stairs if Paula. Gordon jumps out on Christine, there is shouting and he strikes her. Christine runs back to the flat. Christine says: he chased me back through the doors I fell and he was kicking and punching me. Gordon said “I slapped you and then you ran into the door when you where trying to get away from me” Paula has seen the first punch and turned to go back to the flat and call the police. Christine says: Fenton and Camacchio were on the stairs, dumbstruck by the vicious assault for a few moments until they stepped forward to hold him back and send him on his way. Christine crawls away up the stairs to flat Gordon says: :”I chased you up the stairs” Gordon leaves The police have been called sometime before 12.45 am, but both Fenton and Camacchio beg Paula not to tell the police they were there, one says he is on probation, both are married and both are West Indian nervous of the police. Paula tells Christine the two men are hiding in the bedroom. Christine had only just met the two men and believes their involvement is incidental anyway. So when the police arrive she tells them the lie about who was present. The LieChristine's lie, that she and Paula shut the door on Lucky Gordon and keep him out.
She does not mention the two witnesses. |
Page 28 from transcripts of Lucky Gordon Court case example of perjury
Page 34 from transcripts of Lucky Gordon Court case “didn’t I slap her”
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