Maitland asked to review surveillance footage from own apartment

A CCTV technician testified on Monday that Constable Noel Maitland had asked to review surveillance footage from his Chelsea Manor apartment in Kingston to determine whether a woman was seen leaving the premises between 11:00 a.m. and midday on July 12, 2022.

According to the technician’s statement, which was read into evidence in the Home Circuit Court, he questioned Maitland about the specific timeframe but could not recall the officer’s exact response.

“But I recalled him saying he was sleeping when she left,” the technician added.

The technician, who had installed five CCTV cameras at the apartment for Maitland’s neighbour, said the constable claimed he wanted to check the footage because a “sistren” had gone missing. He said Maitland came to view the footage on July 14. At the time, he was unaware that the missing woman was Donna-Lee Donaldson, Maitland’s 24-year-old girlfriend.

Donaldson, a social media personality and customer service representative, was reported missing on July 13. She left her home on July 11 with Maitland and last spoke to relatives on July 12 while at his apartment.

Donaldson’s mother testified that she had spoken to her on the morning of July 12 while her brother said he had FaceTimed her briefly at 4:56 and that she was still at the apartment.

Maitland is currently on trial for murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse in connection with Donaldson’s presumed death.

The technician said that while reviewing footage on July 14, he observed Maitland driving out of the complex after 2:00 p.m. on July 12.

NEIGHBOUR’S TESTIMONY

Earlier in the trial, Maitland’s neighbour testified that the constable appeared visibly anxious and pressured him to delete surveillance footage showing Maitland entering the apartment complex twice between July 11 and 12 – once with a woman and later, alone.

“He seemed worried; he seemed to have great consternation,” the neighbour testified, adding that Maitland said he was undergoing a promotion evaluation and didn’t want footage of him “smoking a spliff” to raise red flags during background checks. The neighbour said he refused to comply with the request, calling it inappropriate.

The CCTV technician’s statement was one of five read into evidence yesterday by agreement between the defence and prosecution.

Another statement, from a detective sergeant, revealed that a sofa was seized from Maitland’s apartment on July 21 after it had been taken to a Kingston car wash and power-washed.

A worker reported seeing what looked like “blood like rice grain” oozing from the furniture when it was brought there by Maitland on July 13.

Other witness statements included that of an officer who had transported a forensic team to and from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Science to Maitland’s apartment as well as a police officer who had been a part of a team that accompanied a truck driver to the car wash.

Earlier in the morning session, a detective sergeant testified that on July 27, 2022, he visited the law office in Kingston of Christopher Townsend, where he arrested Maitland, who, when cautioned for murder, reportedly stated, “Jah Jah”.

Townsend, while cross-examining the witness, suggested that his client was never cautioned and did not utter those words. However, the witness insisted that he had.

The officer further testified that during the arrest, he seized a “banger phone” belonging to Maitland that had been reportedly taken from his father, who was present.

The trial will continue today.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com