Police constable Lincoln McCoy, who allegedly shot dead his lover and attempted suicide in 2013, was found guilty of murder in the Home Circuit Court on Wednesday, April 13.
The Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) noted in a press release last Wednesday that it secured its first murder conviction when a seven member jury found McCoy, guilty of the murder of 21-year-old cashier Jessica King of Mill Bank District in Portland. The two were allegedly in a relationship that went sour.
McCoy was assigned to the Buff Bay Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB) Office at the time of the incident,
Reports are that on August 14, 2013, Cons. McCoy shot and killed Ms. King and then made an unsuccessful attempted to kill himself, at the Errol Flynn Marina in Port Antonio at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Both persons met at the Errol Flynn Marina and were seen conversing, when shots were fired and both were subsequently found lying on the ground. They were taken to the Port Antonio Hospital where King was pronounced dead. Constable McCoy was treated and later airlifted to the Kingston Public Hospital for further treatment.
INDECOM arrested and charged McCoy for the murder of King on September, 4, 2013. Following his arrest, he was taken before the Port Antonio Resident Magistrates Court to answer to the charge. His attorney, Christopher Townsend, made a bail application on his behalf, this however was denied.
The trial of McCoy began in the Home Circuit Court on April 4, 2016 before Justice Lloyd Hibbert. The matter was prosecuted by crown counsels, director of public prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn and Joel Brown.
At the trial, evidence was led that Cons McCoy shot King in the forehead and neck from almost point blank range and that McCoy then used his service pistol to shoot himself twice.
The prosecution called no eyewitnesses to take the stand. However, the sole eyewitness statement was read to the court.
The female eyewitness gave investigators a statement in which she said she was walking to her car parked at the Marina on the evening of August 14, 2013 when she noticed a man and a woman sitting facing each other.
Brown’s statement
was read into the evidence because she now resides in the United States and has refused to attend the trial.
In the statement, the former teacher said the man had a handgun in his right hand and pointed it at the woman’s face. She saw King on her knees begging for her life from the constable. The eyewitness said she got scared and started to run when she heard “a gunshot” and saw the man with the gun in his outstretched right hand.
McCoy, who elected to give sworn testimony, acknowledged that he was at the marina with King on the day in question and that he had his service firearm with him.
McCoy, however, denied any involvement in King’s death or that he shot himself. McCoy gave sworn evidence and called no witnesses.
Instead, McCoy said he and King were sitting facing each other when suddenly she called out his name in a loud tone.
Upon hearing that shout, he said he felt someone shove him hard to the back of his head. He said as a result of that force he fell forward.
McKoy said while in the process of falling, he felt someone pull on his firearm. He heard two loud explosions and said he tried to scramble to his feet. The next thing he knew was that he woke up in a hospital.
In his closing argument to the seven-member jury, McCoy’s attorney, Carlton Collman said the investigators conducted no identification parade and that no witness has testified to seeing the policemen shoot King.
In addition, Collman said that investigators swabbed King’s hands, but never swabbed the hands of the constable.
Despite the points raised by the defense, on Wednesday, the jury deliberated for approximately 45 minutes and returned with the guilty verdict.
McCoy is to be sentenced on April 29.
