Cop’s murder trial to be aborted
Published:Monday | February 17, 2025 | 10:03 AM
The murder trial of Constable Melissa White, accused of fatally shooting an unarmed man seven years ago and lying about how the incident occurred, is expected to be aborted following the unavailability of the two main witnesses.
Senior Director of Public Prosecutions Claudette Thompson informed the court yesterday that a decision had already been made but was to be endorsed by the director of public prosecutions. The court is to be notified of that decision on Friday.
In the meantime, the seven-member jury, which was empanelled on Monday, was, yesterday, discharged by Justice Leighton Pusey.
The trial has been delayed from Tuesday due to the absence of the eyewitness who the court heard had a personal emergency. The witness, however, had promised to attend Court on Wednesday to start giving evidence but did not show.
Thompson also told the court that the other witness, who has been attending since Monday, also did not turn up yesterday. Consequently, White’s bail was extended for her to return to court.
The policewoman, who was stationed at the Cross Roads Police Station in St Andrew at the time, is to be tried on charges of murder and perverting the course of justice. The charges stem from the June 6, 2017, shooting death of 45-year-old Edwin George Brown in Cross Roads.
The shooting, which occurred at the corner of Caledonia Avenue and Old Hope Road in Cross Roads, was, reportedly, captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras that were mounted at a nearby business place. No firearm was recovered at the scene.
According to the allegations, which were previously outlined, Brown appeared to have stolen a bottle of oil from a supermarket in the Cross Roads area and was running from the store.
White then used her motor vehicle to block his path, causing him to lean against the passenger door with his hands held above his head.
It is reported that several shots were fired, and the man fell to the ground.
White, it is alleged, exited the vehicle and looked at Brown’s body before getting back in the vehicle and driving away.
Following an investigation by the Independent Commission of Investigations, White was arrested and charged.
The commission’s investigation revealed that the policewoman’s account was incongruous with CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts.
Attorneys-at-law Deborah Martin and Kelly Hamilton are representing the defendant.