Ironic and sad. These were only two of the words used by close friend and former Magistrate Marcia Murray to describe the unsolved investigation into Dana Seetahal SC’s murder.
During an interview at her chambers, Keystone Law, last week, Murray surprisingly revealed that her decision to leave the bench after 12 years had been influenced after consulting Seetahal – as one of her dreams had been to junior Seetahal.
Revealing the circumstances that led to her decision, Murray, who first met Seetahal in 1990 when the two worked at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, smiled as she recalled the numerous stories they swapped about the attempted insurrection.
Declaring that Seetahal always had an eye for detail, Murray said, “She was truly a champion, of your friendship with her, your rights, any problem or position you took to her, she sought to champion you.
“She never judged, she listened and championed your position. If it ever came to the crunch, Dana was the person you would call.”
Remembering her last social visit with Seetahal on January 14, 2014 – which incidentally was Seetahal’s second house-warming party at her apartment at One Woodbrook Place –, Murray said, “She certainly knew how to entertain. She always did everything to the max.”
Professionally, the last interaction the two had was when Seetahal represented Murray before the Court of Appeal, in a matter in which the Director of Public Prosecutions had appealed a ruling handed down by Murray.
Describing Seetahal’s plan of action at the time, Murray said, “She was the zenith of professionalism. The best you can ask for in a friend and lawyer.”
Providing a glimpse of the inner turmoil she still feels over Seetahal’s death, Murray’s voice dropped as she confided, “I am still bereft. The gaping hole in my heart for Dana remains as wide as it was last May.
“Prior to leaving the magistracy, I called Dana and told her I wanted to be her junior. That was one of the main reasons for leaving the magistracy, to fulfill my dream to junior Dana at the Court of Appeal.
“She encouraged me to pursue my dream and even extended an invitation, but I didn’t get a chance to do that.”
Murray said following Seetahal’s death she was “in a deep depression, unable to work for a while.”
One of the telling signs that Seetahal’s death had a profound impact on her, Murray said, is that she lost the zeal for criminal procedures.
“I don’t do much criminal work now and that is a direct result of her death. I don’t go to the criminal courts now, even after one year.”
Asked to comment on the ongoing police investigation into the killing, Murray challenged the authorities to do better than they had thus far.
“I believe the police can do much better and they should be called to account for their lack of action”
She continued, “It is hurtful and ironic, as she was always assisting and advising police and to think that the police themselves are not acting as quickly as they should, that is hurtful.”
Agreeing that there were a lot of rumors about why Seetahal was killed, Murray said the lack of credible information from the police had led to this development.
Seetahal’s family and the country, she said, deserved to know “who called the shot and to know that person is brought to justice.”
Murray went on, “The police are very efficient in bringing people before the court and proving their case, what is so different about this case? I don't believe the police are inept or inefficient because I have seen them at work, they very well know their jobs, so I have to ask why?”
Claiming that it was irredeemable now, Murray said, “Anybody they bring before the court now in respect of her killing, it is irredeemable as one year has already passed.”
Criminal justice guru
Today marks one year since Seetahal was gunned down as she drove along Hamilton Holder Street, Woodbrook, on her way to her One Woodbrook Place apartment. She had minutes before left the Ma Pau Casino on Ariapita Avenue, Woodbrook.
Arguing that Seetahal’s death was not a random crime, Murray said she doesn’t believe that other prosecutors were targets. However, she acknowledged that “until her killers and those who ordered her murder are caught, we shall never rest easy in this country.”
Former chamber-mate and now director of the Police Complaints Authority, David West, also expressed similar sentiments.
Still in shock over the brutal murder which he said represented a “very dark day for Trinidad and Tobago,” West said Seetahal’s knowledge of the judicial and the criminal justice systems had made her an invaluable asset to this country.
“She was the expert specialist, the guru on the criminal justice system in T&T, and for somebody to assassinate her in that manner was saying to the justice system that I can do what I want to, you'll have no control over me,” he said.
West continued, “That is the signal, in my view, that was sent. For someone to do that in such a callous and cold blooded way, was sending a strong signal to our judicial and law enforcement.”
Agreeing that months and hours of surveillance on Seetahal had gone into planning her murder, West expressed faith in the police to solve the crime.
“But like everybody else, we want swift action on this. She’s too important of a person we have lost that this crime is still unsolved.
“What she stood for and what she brought to the legal profession, she deserves better and deserves to have her matter swiftly dealt with, and that is not being done,” he added.
Asked if the killing might serve to deter other attorneys from entering the profession, West replied, “I don't think it will deter people. Unfortunately, Trinidadians have a short memory so in a year or two, unless her killers are brought to justice, people won’t be deterred by this.”
Addressing the recent situation at the PCA, West admitted, “Even when I was going through my issues with my position here, she would have been somebody I would have wanted to discuss the matter with and ask her what I should I do, if I should do it and when, she was the person I would go to.”
Attorney Larry Lalla recalled being encouraged by his mother to look up to Seetahal as an ideal in the legal profession when he began law school in 1990.
In 1994, Lalla copped the prestigious Dana Seetahal prize for achieving straight As in Criminal Practice and Procedure at the Hugh Wooding Law School.
Considering himself lucky for having spent two years with Seetahal in chambers, while the two were part of Israel Khan SC’s chambers, Lalla described Seetahal’s generous nature and caring heart as she always insisted on celebrating the birthdays of everyone from cleaner to handyman.
He recalled her counselling him during his brief stint on the High Court bench in 2006.
“She always advised me to listen to all attorneys, no matter my views as to their competence and to be patient, as everyone always had something to say and to listen to.”
Attesting to her morals and work ethic, Lalla agreed that fairness was always part of who she was and noted she was always mentoring younger attorneys.
“It was unfortunate that someone who had such a passion for people, such caring for people and a such a fear of loneliness could die in such a tragic way when she would have been stalked by strangers and shot while alone in her vehicle. That is tragic,” he said.
“If Dana could be killed like that, then any attorney could be shot and killed like that.”
Her death, he said, represented a low point in our country’s history, but also put people in the profession on edge and forced them to pa more attention to their personal safety.
On the issue of the ongoing investigation, he said, “That is the scary thing, that after such a long period of time has passed, that there is not even a credible rumour as to why she was killed.
“Everything we have heard so far is pure speculation and that is very very scary, that a senior lawyer could be assassinated in the dead of night and after such a long period of time we are totally in the dark as to the motive behind the killing.”
However, he called on the public not to discount the police just yet.
“I still want to think the police have something they are working on. I would hate to think they would mislead the public in the assurances they have given and I would want to think that ‘yes,’ something is going to happen sooner rather than later.”