The prosecution is expected to recall at least three key witnesses to the stand in the Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of a prison guard and an inmate who were killed during the January 17 prison break. <\/p>\n
One of those witnesses is prison guard Sandy Mackey, who has denied that he pointed a weapon at any of the three prison escapees apprehended in the Yamacraw Road area or that he boarded the prison bus when it arrived to pick up the inmates.<\/p>\n
At least three witnesses have testified that Officer Mackey fatally shot inmate Neil Brown, who was handcuffed and on the prison bus for return to Her Majesty\uff92s Prison. <\/p>\n
Taking the stand again yesterday was prison officer Sergeant Stephen Sands, who reiterated that he spoke to former prison escapee Corey Hepburn just before four inmates mounted a deadly escape from the prison.<\/p>\n
Sgt. Sands, accompanied by his attorney Ramona Farquharson, testified in the Coroner\uff92s Court Tuesday that around 2am he delivered a message to Hepburn from inmate Barry Parcoi, who had requested sweet milk. <\/p>\n
Parcoi and Hepburn were among the group of prison escapees.<\/p>\n
According to Sgt. Sands, feeding time at the prison stops between 4pm and 4:30pm.<\/p>\n
This prompted Coroner Linda Virgill to again ask if complying with the requests of inmates was not unusual. <\/p>\n
Again Sgt. Sands told the court: “It\uff92s not the policy to do this. If you want to, it\uff92s up to you.”<\/p>\n
While on the stand, the witness denied telling Hepburn to “make it look good,” as Hepburn had testified last month during the inquest. <\/p>\n
Sgt. Sands also dismissed claims that he had sent Corporal Dion Bowles to Hepburn\uff92s cell. <\/p>\n
He also denied knowing of or assisting in the escape plan and that he received any money from any of the prisoners in exchange for a gun.<\/p>\n
But that\uff92s not what jurors heard from an unidentified witness, whose police statement was read in court two weeks ago. <\/p>\n
According to that witness, former prison escapee Forrester Bowe paid Sgt. Sands $5,000 to bring him a gun, which the officer never did.<\/p>\n
When shown the time-coded surveillance video of the morning of January 17, Sgt. Sands insisted that only two officers accompanied him to retrieve Corporal Dion Bowles\uff92 body from the C-block corridor. <\/p>\n
However, the video showed four officers.<\/p>\n
Jurors also heard that before Sgt. Sands left for vacation on October 31, 2005 prison inmate Barry Parcoi occupied a cell on the D-block while Neil Brown was held downstairs in Maximum Security\uff92s I-block.<\/p>\n
Brown and Corporal Bowles were killed during the escape.<\/p>\n
Sgt. Sands said when he returned to work on January 9, both men had been moved to the C-block of Maximum Security. He denied having anything to do with the relocation.<\/p>\n
Coroner Virgill reminded the prison officer that he is subject to a further recall “should it become necessary.”<\/p>\n
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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