The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT - The murder trial of Coletor Johnson and Glinton Louis opened in the Supreme Court yesterday with testimony from eye-witnesses who recalled how 23-year-old Markinson Justin was struck by a car that left the scene. The matter being heard before Senior Justice Hartman Longley. Johnson, 23, and Glinton, 32, are accused of being concerned together and intentionally causing the death of Justin at Explorer's Way on July 12, 2011. It is alleged that some time after 8am, the accused were in a gold 2000 Buick Century that struck and killed the victim, who was walking. According to the prosecution, Justin landed on the ground about 88 feet from the point of impact and sustained multiple injuries. Paul Wallace-Whitfield is representing Johnson, who is out on bail. K Brian Hanna is representing Louis. Prosecutors Durell Taylor and Olivia Blatch are appearing on behalf of the Crown. In its opening address, the prosecution claimed Johnson and Louis intentionally struck Justin and then left the scene. Police Corporal Lincoln Dawkins of the Criminal Records Office was the prosecution's first witness. He took photographs of the scene, the victim, and the Buick Century. Cpl Dawkins compiled an album, which included photographs of a broken car windshield, dents on the front and top of the vehicle, and suspected human flesh on the windshield and vehicle. He also took pictures of wounds on the victim's chest, thigh, right leg, and the back of the head. Andre Burrows, an eye-witness, testified that he was driving east on Explorer's Way around 8am when he saw a young man standing under a Poinciana tree. He said he saw the man run towards a gold Buick that was travelling in the westbound lane, getting into a scuffle with the passenger. Mr Burrows said the vehicle then crossed into the eastbound lane of Explorer's Way, and headed east. The driver then turned around again and headed west at high speed, he said. Burrows said Justin was walking east on the northern side of the road when the vehicle crossed over in the eastbound lane and struck him. Mr Burrows said he heard a loud "bam" and saw the Buick drive off heading west. He said Justin was lying "lifeless" on the ground. Mr Burrows said two persons were in the vehicle at the time. Juliann Kemp also took the stand. She testified that she saw a man taking off his shirt and running east after a champagne-colored Buick on Explorer's Way. "The vehicle turned around. It picked up speed and went across to the next side of the road and hit the man," she recalled. Ms Kemp said the car's windshield cracked when it struck Justin. When asked by Mr Hanna whether Justin had jumped on the vehicle, Ms Kemp replied, "No". Traffic Police Corporal 1324 Mick Sears said he went to Explorer's Way to investigate an accident involving a pedestrian. He said he found a black t-shirt and one black tennis shoe, then proceeded to Rand Memorial Hospital where he spoke with a doctor. Cpl Sears said he saw the body of a dark man with severe injuries, then returned to the scene, where he and PC 2877 Ian Saunders took measurements. PC Saunders, a traffic reconstruction officer, said according to their measurements, the vehicle was travelling at about 51mph when it struck Justin. He said that the driver left the westbound lane, crossed over into the eastbound lane, and hit Justin on the northern shoulder. Maltide Time, mother of the victim, said she identified her son's body at the hospital's morgue on July 12, 2011. The trial will resume today.