Murder Trial of Thailand's Arrogant Corrupt Politician's Son Continues by Phairath Khampha 31 August 2002 The murder trial of the son of one of Thailand's most corrupt, crooked yet influential politicians conintued in August 2002. Defence lawyers in Duangchalerm Yoobamrung's murder trial attacked what they said were discrepancies in police statements concerning the shooting of the police officer at the Twenty Pub night spot in October 2001. The handgun used by Duangchalerm Yoobamrung to shoot dead a police officer was too small to make out clearly, a key eyewitness to the murder at Bangkok's Twenty Pub told a court on August 2, 2002. Pol Lt-Colonel Suthin Sappuang said during cross examination that the 6.35-calibre pistol would extend only a few centimetres beyond a man's fist. He and another eyewitness, Pol Captain Wiwat Boonchaisri, had testified earlier that they saw Duangchalerm face the victim, crime suppression officer Suwichai Rodwimud, in a shooting stance. Then a shot rang out inside the pub and Suwichai was killed almost instantly. The two police officers, who were part of a team with Suwichai staking out the pub, stopped short of saying they actually saw Duangchalerm holding a gun in his outstretched hands. Suthin told the court he had not stood close enough to the crime scene to be able to "describe" the murder weapon. But he noted that the 6.35-calibre gun, believed to be the missing murder weapon, was relatively compact. Both witnesses said that Duangchalerm shot Suwichai following a scuffle. Duangchalerm lawyers focus on lighting Defence lawyers in Duangchalerm Yoobamrung's murder trial on August 20 attacked what they said were discrepancies in police statements concerning the shooting of the police officer at the Twenty Pub night spot. During cross-examination of a key prosecution witness, Pol Lt Colonel Suthin Sappuang, the defence played a tape of an interview with police chief Sant Sarutanont. In the interview Sant said that the pub's lights were turned on when Duangchalerm shot and killed Crime Suppression officer, Suwichai Rodwimud. Suthin and another eyewitness, Pol Captain Wiwat Boonchaisri, had earlier testified that they saw Duangchalerm face the victim in a shooting stance before a shot rang out inside the pub. Suwichai was killed almost instantly. The two police officers, who were part of an on-duty team with Suwichai at the pub, stopped short of saying they actually saw Duangchalerm holding a gun in his outstretched hands. Suthin insisted that it was bright enough inside the pub for him to see the incident. But he could not recall the actual lighting situation, such as how many lights were turned on at the time. The defence was trying to prove that the shooting took place in a confused atmosphere, made even more so by dimmed or flashing disco lights. "I don't know how many lights there were and how many of them were turned on," Suthin said. However, he repeated his previous testimony, saying that he saw Duangchalerm shoot Suwichai. Previously, Suthin said the handgun used by Duangchalerm was too small to make out clearly.