UPDATE: Hamilton declares innocence in teen's murder

Barbara Gayle, Justice Coordinator

Police constable Rushon Hamilton has given an unsworn statement in the Home Circuit Court claiming that he is innocent of the 2008 murder of Kingston schoolgirl Jhaneel Goulbourne.

He said he is very sad that the girl cannot be found and that he could not hurt anyone.

Hamilton will not face cross-examination because he has not sworn to his statement.

"Where is the independent evidence against me in this matter?" Hamilton asked.

READ: Witness says cop killed and dumped 14-year-old at sea

He also said he does not have a boat and does not know anyone with a boat who could have dumped the girl's body at sea, as claimed by the prosecution.

Hamilton also said he did not go into the witness box because that would have been a question and answer scenario but he wanted to give his account without obstruction.

"I have waited four wary long years for this moment," he said.

"Sometimes I try to exercise my patience as much as I can and at times anxiety gets the better of me. Mr Foreman and members of the jury, I am innocent of this charge," he said.

Hamilton continued: "I grow up hearing the notion that the good you do follow you. I used to believe it, but after four long years, I no longer believe it."

He also sought to discredit a testimony from a prisoner that he had purportedly confessed to killing Goulbourne, saying that would have been a senseless move.

The Crown is alleging that Hamilton sexually assaulted the girl on October 4, 2008 then killed her after the incident was reported.

This morning the case was adjourned after a Crown witness again failed to show for court.

Despite having an arrest warrant sent out for him yesterday, former policeman Michael McDonald did not appear before the Home Circuit Court.

Prosecutor Lisa Palmer Hamilton told the court that efforts were being made to locate him.

She said she had contacted senior police personnel who informed her that a team has been dispatched to find him and promised that they would have information on McDonald’s whereabouts by midday.

However, the witness failed to show.

Justice Lloyd Hibbert who is presiding over the case had said it’s only fair for the jurors to hear from McDonald as his name had been mentioned several times during the trial.

But he said the court would not wait indefinitely and so the prosecution would have to decide its next step if McDonald did not appear before the court this afternoon.

McDonald had failed to show up for court on two occasions.

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