Three convicted of murder in 'Vietnam'

Three men from August Town, St Andrew, who shot and killed a man in July 2004, have been convicted of murder.

Omar Blake, Omar Dunkley, and Jason Coley were found guilty yesterday of the murder of Michael Curtis and will be sentenced on Friday by Senior Puisne Judge Gloria Smith.

The Crown, represented by attorney-at-law Kathy Pyke and Crown Counsel Leighton Morris, led evidence in the Home Circuit Court that the murder took place on July 20, 2004, in an area called Vietnam in August Town.

One of the jurors was excused on the first day of the trial because he said he knew one of the witnesses in the case.

Evidence was given before the 11-member jury that about 5 p.m. on the day of the incident, Curtis came home from work and went to the gate of a close friend. Blake and a group of men, including the two accused, were across the road, and Blake asked Curtis why he was looking at them.

other murder plans

Curtis went inside the yard and the men followed him. Shortly after, gunshots were heard and the men were seen running from the yard. A witness testified that Blake and Dunkley had guns.

The Crown alleged that earlier in the day, the men had planned to murder someone.

One witness said he heard Blake telling a woman that it had been a long time since they had had a "duppy". Another witness said Blake told a woman that it had been a long time since they had mourned.

A third witness testified that he heard Blake saying that for a long time, he had been wanting to kill a boy.

In unsworn statements from the dock, the three men denied they were present when Curtis was fatally shot.