Hamilton defence tells jury to weigh motives of prosecution witnesses

Barbara Gayle, Justice Coordinator

Defence lawyer Valerie Neita Robertson today told the 12-member jury trying the case of former police constable Rushon Hamilton case to carefully weigh the motives of those who gave evidence against him.

She said Hamilton’s cellmates who were called as witnesses might feel they would get favourable treatment.

According to Robertson, the claims about Hamilton’s accounts in October 2008 as stated by the witnesses, were already was already in the public domain.

Witnesses have testified at the murder trial in the Home Circuit Court that while they were in custody with Hamilton he confessed that he shot 14-year-old Kingston schoolgirl, Jhaneel Goulbourne, and threw the body at sea.

But Neita Robertson told the jury that the prosecution did not bring any evidence to verify the so-called confession.

She said the Crown's case was full of holes and called for the jury to return a true verdict.

Hamilton who is also being represented by attorney-at-law Peter Champagnie called three witnesses, one of whom was a prisoner serving a sentence.

The prisoner said he heard two of the Crown witnesses plotting to frame Hamilton for the girl's murder.

Neita Robertson asked the jury to believe the defence witness because he will be leaving prison next month and had nothing to gain.

The Crown, represented by prosecutors Lisa Palmer Hamilton, Sasha Marie Smith and Alwayne Smith, is alleging that Hamilton abducted Goulbourne in 2008 and murdered her after she made a sexual assault report against him.

The trial resumes on Monday when Palmer Hamilton will address the jury.

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