By Susan Mann
Caribbean Net News St Thomas-St John Correspondent
Email: susan@caribbeannetnews.com
ST JOHN, USVI: A recent homicide in the US Virgin Islands has brought with it a flurry of unwanted media attention; particularly for the more rural island of St John which was selected as the top Caribbean tourism destination by key industry standard bearer, Conde Naste Travel Publications only two years ago.
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The Front Yard bar where Cockayne spent his last hours is situated next door to the Police Station in Cruz Bay.
Photo: Susan Mann |
Twenty-one year old James ‘Jamie’ Cockayne was brutally attacked and murdered, shortly after midnight in Cruz Bay area on June 19. Cockayne, who had found work in the British Virgin Islands, was awaiting final documents to begin a job in the marine industry on Virgin Gorda. He had completed several certifications in this field.
His mother, Jean Gilligan Cockayne, was also staying on St John at the time, searching for a retirement home for the Pennsylvania family to purchase. They had previously visited the Virgin Islands on more than one occasion, and made a decision to relocate to St John. Jamie Cockayne was the grandson of former candidate for Governor of the state of New Jersey, the late Patrick Gilligan.
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| Jamie Cockayne |
Cockayne had spent at least a portion of the evening of June 18, drinking at The Front Yard, a Cruz Bay bar that caters to island locals. A verbal and physical altercation that led to his death reportedly began there. Police records indicate that Cockayne died as a result of “multiple stab wounds to the body.”
In a letter to the St John Tradewinds, Mrs Cockayne further detailed her son’s injuries as follows, “…Jamie was stabbed in the thigh (femoral artery), in the back right rib cage, the front of his neck, in his abdomen and twice in the upper chest.” Prior to the multiple stabbing, Cockayne was also hit over the head with a wooden object.
As the weeks passed, the Cockayne family apparently grew frustrated with what they perceived to be a lack of appropriate action on the part of the VI Police Department in its efforts to make an arrest in the case. Among other allegations, the Cockaynes repeatedly accused the VIPD of not keeping them informed about the status of the investigation, not safe guarding and properly processing the crime scene evidence, and not following up on solid leads.
They then hired a private investigator and began sharing with the media facts gleaned from their own private investigation. Mrs Cockayne announced that the family had been forced to give up their rental unit on St John and return to Pennsylvania when her landlord informed the family that “they were not safe on St John.”
To date, there have been numerous stories concerning the details of what transpired the night their son was killed published by local and national media, and broadcast internationally by two popular syndicated news magazine programmes.
The VI Legislative leader immediately took new USVI Tourism Director Beverly Nicholson-Doty to task on the Senate Floor, demanding to know what she planned to do about the negative impact the first televised programme might have on the Territory’s tourism industry. Nicholson-Doty indicated that a crisis plan was already in place.
For the most part, stateside media, including a segment on Wednesday night’s Larry King Live, have come across the air waves as biased in favour of the Cockaynes’ allegations against local law enforcement.
On August 3, approximately six weeks after the murder, the first of three arrests was made. Commissioner James McCall announced that 18 year Jamal Thomas had been taken in to custody; charged with first-degree murder, first- degree assault and using a dangerous weapon during the commission of a crime of violence. He was also later charged with Witness Intimidation.
Thomas, who is originally from Georgia, is a resident of St John, having moved to the US Territory from Tortola, BVI, about one year ago.
McCall also explained in a press release that the VIPD and the Attorney General have “kept in regular contact with the family.” He further stated that the FBI had been called upon to assist with the investigation the day after the homicide was committed. The Commissioner also said the services of a victim advocate had been made available to the Cockayne family.
Prior to that date, McCall had refused to provide even a cursory response to almost every media inquiry.
On Monday, August 6, Thomas came before VI Superior Court Judge, Leon Kendall for a preliminary, advice-of-rights hearing. Territory prosecutors hoped to convince Judge Kendall, whose judicial decisions are currently being monitored by a Washington D.C. watchdog group, to rule that Thomas would have to remain in custody until his trial.
However, Kendall did not agree with the nature and reasoning of the prosecutorial arguments. This was not an unusual stance for Judge Kendall, who continues to appear unaffected by ongoing criticism throughout the territory for such decisions. Bail was set at $25,000 at the hearing on the charge of witness intimidation.
Thomas again appeared before Kendall on Thursday, August 9, for a pre-trial detention hearing. Although prosecutors requested a bail amount of $500,000, the court set bail for the charge of first-degree homicide at only $75,000. Thomas is required to post only ten percent of that amount, or $7,500 to be released on bail.
Once that amount is posted, Thomas will wear a monitoring device and remain under house arrest in the custody the supervision of his uncle, since the court believes he is a flight risk. Judge Kendall indicated his decisions were based on the fact that the VI Government had not presented adequate evidence that Thomas actually committed the murder.
A second arrest in the case was made on the evening of August 6, when 31-year-old St John resident Ryan Meade was charged with intimidating and retaliating against a witness. Meade allegedly threatened a witness who provided statements as a part of the ongoing investigation.
On the evening of Thursday, August 9, a third arrest was made in the case when the VIPD took 31-year-old St Johnian Anselmo Boston into custody. The former St Croix resident, previously described by law enforcement as ‘a person of interest’ was arrested and charged with first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and using a deadly weapon in the commission of a violent crime. Boston is being held without bail and is scheduled to appear before a Superior Court Judge for an advice-of-rights hearing on Friday morning.
Commissioner McCall said in a press release, “We have indicated time and again that our focus in this investigation is to secure justice for Jamie Cockayne.” McCall also said Customs and Immigration officials in both the BVI and the USVI had played a pivotal role in monitoring Boston’s whereabouts as he attempted to travel to Antigua.
It is not known whether additional arrests are expected in the homicide of Jamie Cockcayne. |
