Vanessa Kirkland Murder Trial | Prosecution closes case
Published:Wednesday | January 30, 2019 | 3:27 PM
Nickoy Wilson, Gleaner Writer
The prosecution this afternoon closed its case against the three cops charged with the 2012 murder of 16-year-old Immaculate Conception High School student Vanessa Kirkland.
The prosecution called eight witnesses at the trial which started in the Home Circuit Court in downtown Kingston over last three weeks.
One of the witnesses testified that she saw when the blue Suzuki Swift motor car drove on to Norman Lane in St Andrew on March 20, 2012, followed by a police service vehicle.
The witness, who was shot during the gunfire, said she saw when police personnel exited the service vehicle and opened fire on the Suzuki motorcar.
Throughout her testimony, she maintained that she heard no explosions consistent with gunshots originating from the Suzuki Swift and that the windows of the vehicle were up.
A passenger in the Suzuki Swift, who was also shot and injured, had a similar account of the incident.
A total of 14 documents were admitted into evidence.
These include the post-mortem and ballistic reports as well as statements given by the accused.
Ballistic material such as damaged copper jacket bullets and bullet fragments and at least 80 photos from the crime 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 sometime after 9 o' clock on the night of the incident and opened fire on a blue Suzuki Swift motorcar parked along the left side of the road.
Kirkland and six other occupants in the car were shot.
She died from her injuries.
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