Cockayne murder trial underway

[sherban]

I hope this verdict can bring some peace to Cockayne's family and friends.

Me too.

Glad there is a conviction, murder cannot go unpunished...

[bevm]

If it wasn't for the fact that Jamie's parents practically moved down there and kept after the authorities to find the killer, justice would have never been served.. Honestly, I don't think they would have tried to solve the case at all. This verdict won't bring their son back but I pray it gives Jamie's parents some piece of mind in the knowledge that they did everything in their power to bring his killer to justice.

[stjohnjulie]

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on that. There was a lot of publicity and that did put some pressure on the local authorities, but I am confident that they would have made arrests and gotten a conviction without all of that. The people of St. John did not, and do not, take murder lightly.

[promoguy]

No one suggests that the good folks of STJ will not put up with murder. The question is whether or not the pressure put on by the family might not have had a greater impact on coming up with an arrest and a subsequent conviction.

When I read the following on OneSource, I almost thought oh, oh.....there's not going to be a conviction. And quite frankly who the hell does this judge think she is by paraphrasing the late great Johnny Cochran.

"If the facts don't fit, then you got to acquit," V.I. Superior Court Judge Brenda J. Hollar said Wednesday, as she heard arguments from defense attorneys to clear the charges against the men charged in the June 2007 stabbing death of James "Jamie" Cockayne.

[bevm]

I don't want to start an argument but I agree with you Promoguy. The pressure the parents put on the authorities made a huge difference. That being said...I'll shut up now. Again.