A man, who as a 17 year old, was accused of a 2009 double murder in St Thomas, including the killing of a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, was acquitted of killing the cop on Friday before the Home Circuit Court.
Javaughn Blythe,26, of a St. Thomas address, was found not guilty of the murder of Constable Dwayne Chisholm after a four-hour deliberation by the jury.
However, the jury was unable to arrive at a verdict against Blythe for the murder of the second victim, Gawayne Lewis.
The hung jury means that Blythe, who was represented by attorney Peter Champagnie, will have to be retried for the murder of Lewis.
Constable Chisholm and Lewis were shot dead on April 25, 2009 at a nightclub in Yallahs, St Thomas.
The two witnesses who testified, including a police officer, said that they saw Blythe in the company of another man at the club, shoot and kill both Constable Chisholm and Lewis
Days later, Blythe who was 17 years old at the time, and a student, surrendered to the police.
Blythe’s older brother was at the time also taken into custody on suspicion of the killings but was later released after not being pointed out on an identification parade.
Blythe was also placed on an identification parade and was pointed out by one of the witnesses.
However, under cross examination by Blythe’s attorney it came out that one of the witnesses who pointed out Blythe on the parade, may have been uncertain as to his identity.
The other witness to the killing, a police Constable, had identified Blythe by his hairstyle and clothing.
Blythe, who has been in custody for nine years awaiting trial, gave an unsworn statement declaring his innocence.
With the jury being unable to arrive at a verdict in respect of the civilian that was killed, a retrial was ordered by Chief Justice Bryan Sykes.
Blythe was offered bail in the amount of $250,000, with strict reporting conditions.
He is scheduled to return to court on December 14 where his case will be mentioned.
Den a wah dem cudda tell mi afta 9 years ova fi dem lack of not knowing wah di hell dem a duh eeh. Mess up di youth life deh now an why dem neva look deeper into di next bredda.