Cop discussed statement with colleague
THE POLICE OFFICER who dealt with I’Akobi Maloney minutes before he died, said yesterday that he and his colleague discussed what they were going to write in their statements surrounding Maloney’s death.
When Andrew Pilgrim, who is representing the Maloney family, asked Acting Sergeant Walter Headley why he and Constable 1320 Walkes’ statements were identical, Headley said the two of them “had a discussion”
However, he denied suggestions by Pilgrim that they agreed to write exactly the same words or and that they copied each other’s words. His explanation for the identical statements was that “we saw the same thing”.
He stated that while he saw other police officers nearby at Cove Bay, he did not know who they were and did not ask any of them if they saw when Maloney jumped off the cliff.
It was then that Pilgrim asked the officers if he was aware that people were saying that the police murdered Maloney.
But when Headley said that he was not aware of this, Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris interjected and told him one of the reasons why the inquest was taking place was because certain allegations were made about the police activity on that day.
“There is a suggestion,” she said, “that the police were not entirely blameless in this matter. There is a suggestion that the police involvement in this matter is not entirely above board, that in fact they may have contributed to his death. The inquest seeks to address that concern, ” she said.
Pilgrim then asked Headley why he found it necessary to put in his statement that he did not push Maloney off the cliff. He responded that in his experience in the matters such as this, those questions always arose.
He also maintained that Fire Officer Anthony Collymore, who lived in the area, came to the cliff after Maloney jumped and told him that he saw what had transpired. Questioned further, he said Collymore would have to be lying if he said that he did not have such a conversation with the police.
Pilgrim then questioned the officer about Maloney’s state of mind. Headley pointed out that after questioning Maloney, Constable Walkes put his hand to his head to indicate to him that something was wrong with Maloney’s head, and he was of the view that he meant that Maloney had a mental problem.
Co-counsel David Comissiong then asked the officer: “So here is a young man who answers all your questions logically, rationally and was well-mannered. On what basis did you come to the conclusion that he was mentally unstable?” The officer explained that he came to the conclusion because of the strange look on Maloney’s face and redness in his eyes.
Asked how far Maloney ran before he reached the cliff, Headley pointed out that he ran about 100 feet from where they were walking to the cliff.
He admitted that Maloney’s mother, Marguerita Maloney visited the station the next day but denied that he had a conversation with her.
Tags: Acting Sergeant, Andrew Pilgrim, Anthony Collymore, Constable 1320 Walkes, Coroner, Cove Bay, David Comissiong, discussion, Faith Marshall-Harris, fireman, inquest, jumped off, Marguerita Maloney, mental faculties, red eyes, statement, Wingrove Headley
November 24th, 2008 at 7:50 am
We need Justice! I’ve known I’Akobi for 3 years and I never knew him to be “mentally unstable”. He was bright, kind and always polite. He got along with everyone…My sincere condolences and strength to his family…