A Supreme Court jury yesterday found Roger Watson guilty of the 2003 murder of 12-year-old Eddison Curtis-Johnson.
Prosecutors from the Attorney General’s Office, Calvin Seymour and Jacqueline Foster, throughout the course of the two week trial presented the jury and Senior Justice Anita Allen with key pieces of evidence that placed
Watson at the scene of the crime and proved that he had a motive.
The prosecutors argued that at 8pm on January 15, 2003, Watson went to Ferguson Street in Fox Hill and began firing his automatic rifle at the victim’s home because he had accused the child’s step-father, Calvin Pinder, of raping his girlfriend.
Eyewitnesses who knew the accused testified that they saw the accused drive his black jeep to the victim’s residence and began firing shots, before speeding off.
Curtis-Johnson, who died while watching telivision in his home, was reportedly struck in his head by one of many bullets that penetrated the wooden house.
Pathologist, Dr Govinda Raju, testified that the child died instantly after being shot.
The firearm was never found. However, law enforcement officials noted that 12 (.223) bullet casings were found at the scene of the crime.
A firearms expert testified that the bullets were fired from the same weapon.
Sentencing for Watson has been set for Decmeber 6. The Supreme Court is awaiting the probation and psychiatric reports. The accused was released on bail some time before the start trial. However, after being convicted yesterday he was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison, where he will await sentecing.
Senior Justice Anita Allen gave the prosecution roughly two weeks to file their request for the death penalty in this matter.
The prosecution said they will be seeking the death penalty in this case.
By: LaShonne Outten, The Nassau Guardian
