ALFRED — During nearly six hours of cross-examination today, 49-year-old Rennie Cassimy insisted that it was Darlene George of Old Orchard Beach who planned the murder of her husband two years ago, and that her brother Jeffrey Williams physically committed the crime.

Cassimy said he took part in the planning and came to Maine from New York with Williams, but his role was only to assist if Williams needed help in his attack against 44-year-old Winston George.

“I never partake in anything. I will go to my grave with that,” Cassimy testified on the fifth day of the murder trial of George and Williams, at York County Superior Court.

But defense lawyers peppered Cassimy with questions about his role in the crime, and how his testimony at the trial has been inconsistent at times with earlier statements Cassimy gave to investigators.

Attorney Paul Aranson represents Darlene George, and Joel Vincent represents Williams. Through their lines of questioning, Aranson and Vincent suggested that Cassimy crafted a convenient story to place the blame on the other two, in order to protect himself and to secure a plea deal.

Darlene George, Williams and Cassimy all faced murder charges related to the June 20, 2008, death of 44-year-old Winston George in Old Orchard Beach.

But the murder charge against Cassimy was dropped in January, when he agreed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of conspiracy to commit murder. Prosecutors agreed to recommend a sentence of eight years, and Cassimy then would face deportation to his native Trinidad and Tobago. In exchange, Cassimy agreed to testify against Williams and George, who Cassimy claims was his lover from around 1995 until the time of the killing.

 

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