Court Sweep
by MARIA BRADSHAW
Cops search room after threat to Coroner
POLICE OFFICERS searched the Coroner’s Court yesterday as well as persons entering the courtroom, following reports that a verbal threat was made against Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris.
The court resumed its investigation into the death of I’Akobi Maloney yesterday.
It took a 15-minute break just after noon but before Marshall-Harris could return to the to the bench, a constable asked everyone to leave the court before he and a female police officer proceeded to carry out a search inside the courtroom.
The two officers then began frisking everyone entering the court.
Reports indicate that one of the parties attending the hearing was overheard making a verbal threat towards the magistrate. The magistrate pointed out that attorney Michael Beckles was “acting in her interest” since she may have to take up litigation in the future.
Yesterday also featured extensive evidence and cross-examination of Acting Sergeant Walter Headley, who told the Coroner’s Court that Maloney ran from himself and Constable 1320 Walkes and casually jumped off the 80-foot cliff at Land Lock, St Lucy.
Headley described how Maloney stood on the cliff in an X position - with his hands outstretched and feet spread - then “without hesitation” jumped off, landing 80 feet down on what Headley called a shelf.
The police officer said that after efforts by the police to get his attention, the young man looked back at them then proceeded to roll off the shelf into the choppy sea where his body became trapped between rocks and was battered by the sea.
Headley also recalled seeing “a man in the area of the cliff dressed in a boxer shorts pacing back and forth”, and that he found the man’s actions strange.
He also described Maloney’s eyes as being red and said he had a strange look on his face.
Noting that Maloney was questioned by himself and Walkes, Headley said he informed the operations control room that he believed that Maloney’s mental faculties were not intact and he was taking him away for further questioning.
He also recalled telling Maloney to get dressed because he wanted him to accompany them to the police station, after which the young man put on his pants and his shirt and, with a smile on his face, also put on his shoes.
Headley said they then proceeded to walk towards the vehicles, he slightly ahead of Maloney and Walkes slightly behind him since he saw no reason to hold on to Maloney.
“I realised that his bag dropped and I turned to my right and saw him running away from us towards the cliff. He jumped off with arms and legs spread open and without hesitation,” the acting sergeant stated.
The inquest resumes on November 25 at the locus in quo, Land Lock, while evidence will be taken again in the Coroner’s Court on November 27.
Tags: Acting Sergeant, bag, boxer shorts, Constable 1320 Walkes, Coroner, Coroner's Court, Faith Marshall-Harris, inquest, investigation, jumped, Landlock, litigation, locus in quo, mental faculties, Michael Beckles, operations control, threat, Walter Headley, X position