Pynn-Butler trial: Rowe describes seeing Pynn with blood on his face
The man accused of helping Philip Pynn escape after Nick Winsor's shooting death took the stand for the prosecution Monday at Pynn and Lyndon Butler's second-degree murder trial in Supreme Court in St. John's.
Jonathan Rowe, 31, walked up to the witness box and stared directly at Pynn before beginning to answer questions for the Crown.
Rowe told the 12-person jury that he saw Winsor, 20, on the day he died — July 9, 2011.
Rowe testified that Winsor had a shotgun with him at Jerry Kinsella's house on Hussey Drive in St. John's. While Rowe said he did not see Pynn there that day, he said he was under the impression Pynn was in the house.
I haven't done nothing wrong, so I haven't put much thought in it.- Jonathan Rowe
According to Rowe, Winsor told him that he was going to Bill Power's house that day.
Winsor's body was found later that night with a fatal shotgun wound to the neck in Tom "Billy" Power's garage on Portugal Cove Road.
In order to answer the Crown's questions, Rowe had to refer back to the original police statement that he gave in 2012.
"I haven't done nothing wrong, so I haven't put much thought in it," Rowe told the court. "I'm not trying to be difficult."
Later on July 9, Rowe said he went to Chris Duke's house, where he saw Winsor and Pynn together.
He told the jury he left the house, but came back later that night. Rowe said that's when he saw Pynn at Duke's house with blood on his face.
Rowe said that Pynn told him Winsor brought a gun in his pants, that a struggle later happened, and that "Nick got shot."
Shea Heights
His next involvement with Pynn, Rowe said, was at Allyson Hatcher's home in Shea Heights, the day after Winsor's death.
Hatcher, who is also charged with accessory after the fact, was Pynn's girlfriend at the time, the court was told.
Rowe said Pynn used Hatcher's phone to call his lawyer, and he began to gather his things.
"He looked sad," Rowe said about Pynn, adding that he had seen his friend die.
"I don't think he was too open about stuff," Rowe said.
After reading over his statement, Rowe testified that Pynn asked, "What am I going to tell his mother?"
Rowe said he walked through the woods in Shea Heights to Pitts Memorial Drive, where he was later picked up on the side of the highway by defence lawyer Averill Baker.
Rowe said he told Baker where to find she could find Pynn on a side street. He said after being dropped off, he "parted ways" with Pynn and Baker.
There was no mention of Lyndon Butler in Rowe's testimony, other than when he pointed him out in the courtroom at the onset of his testimony.
The court was told that Rowe has a lengthy criminal record, including a conviction for conspiracy to commit murder.
Rowe's trial in relation to this case is slated for November.
Reporter Ariana Kelland is filing updates from the courtroom.
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