Witness: Cop threatened to kill anyone who testified against him

Barbara Gayle, Justice Coordinator

The murder trial of 24-year-old policeman Rushon Hamilton continued today with a witness testifying that the accused had threatened to kill anyone who gave a statement against him.

Hamilton is on trial for the murder of 14-year-old Jhaneel Goulbourne.

Yesterday, the witness testified that Hamilton confessed to him in a police lockup that he abducted the girl, shot her and dumped the body at sea.

Continuing his testimony today, the witness said the policeman told him he had a good girlfriend and no matter how much investigators pressured her she would not talk.

He said Hamilton told him his girlfriend washed his clothes after he killed Golbourne.

The witness also testified Hamilton said he had heard that investigators had spoken to two cops with whom he had been cellmates at the Central police station but he was only worried about one of them giving evidence against him.

The witness further said Hamilton then remarked that he would be going to the funeral of anyone who cooperated with the police against him.

Cross-examined by defence lawyers Valerie Neita Robertson and Peter Champagnie, the witness denied telling an inmate that he did not like the policeman because he interfered with a little girl.

And the witness denied the suggestion that he was an opportunist who was telling lies to get out of his own legal troubles.

He also denied the suggestion that Hamilton did not confess to him.
The trail continues tomorrow before Justice Lloyd Hibbert and the 12-member jury.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com