Vanessa Kirkland Murder Trial | INDECOM investigator defends role in murder probe
Published:Wednesday | January 30, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) investigator Leton Coleman yesterday rejected assertions by defence attorneys that he did not conduct an open and unbiased probe into the March 20, 2012 fatal shooting of Vanessa Kirkland at Norman Lane in St Andrew.
Under cross-examination, attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie asked Coleman why he did not interview any of the accused cops after the incident.
Coleman said that they were not available for interview.
He was testifying in trial for the three cops charged with the 2012 murder of the 16-year-old Immaculate Conception High School student.
Coleman, however, admitted that he could have obtained a summons for the accused persons, but did not do so.
During the processing of the crime scene, several cell phones were recovered.
Champagnie asked, “Did you have reason to examine a BlackBerry Curve cell phone in relation to the incident?”
Coleman answered, “No, sir.”
He was also asked if he tried to ascertain who owned the phone, but Coleman said he had no reason to do so.
This was also the case for keys that were found in the back passenger area of the car.
The attorney asked, “Was it brought to your attention that keys were found in the blue Suzuki Swift motor car?”
Coleman answered, “Yes, sir.”
Champagnie then asked, “Did you ascertain the ownership of these keys?”
But Coleman could not give a direct answer to this question.
The attorney suggested, “You did not lead an open investigation in relation to this incident.”
“I do not agree,” Coleman responded.
The INDECOM investigator underwent a similar line of questioning by attorney-at-law Nadine Guy.
“Wouldn’t it have been prudent to go the hospital earlier than 5 p.m.?” asked Guy, referring to the investigator’s statement where he said he visited Kingston Public Hospital at 5 p.m. the day after the incident.
“It would have been prudent to go to the hospital first,” Coleman said, followed by an attempt to clarify.
Presiding judge Justice Carol Lawrence-Beswick, however, interjected, telling him to answer the question as is and that any clarification would be done under re-examination by the prosecution.
Anna-Kay Bailey, Durvin Hayles, and Andrewain Smith are on trial for Kirkland’s murder.
The witness will undergo further cross-examination today.