Vanessa Kirkland murder trial | Judge to rule on no-case submissions
Published:Thursday | January 31, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Presiding judge Justice Carol Lawrence-Beswick is today expected to rule on no-case submissions made by attorneys representing the three cops on trial for the 2012 murder of 16-year-old Vanessa Kirkland.
This came after the prosecution closed its case against the trio in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston yesterday.
So far, one of the nine Crown witnesses said that she saw when the blue Suzuki Swift motor car drove on to Norman Lane on the night of the incident, followed by the police service vehicle.
The witness, who was shot during the gunfire, said she saw when the police officers exited the service vehicle and fired at the Suzuki motor car.
She said she heard no explosions consistent with gunshots coming from the Suzuki Swift and that the windows of the vehicle were up.
A passenger of the blue Suzuki Swift motor car, who was also injured, had a similar account of the incident.
Kirland, who was one of seven occupants of the vehicle, died from injuries sustained during the gunfire.
A total of 14 documents were admitted into evidence during the trial, including the post-mortem and ballistic reports, as well as statements given by the accused cops after the incident.
Other material such as bullet fragments, damaged copper-jacket bullets, and photos of the incident scene were also admitted into evidence.
The Crown is alleging that Constables Anna-Kay Bailey, Durvin Hayles, and Andrewain Smith drove on to Norman Lane in St Andrew some time after 9 p.m. on March 20, 2012, where they opened fire on a blue Suzuki Swift motor car parked along the left side of the road, resulting in the death of the Immaculate Conception High student.