Murder Victim Might Be Alive if St. John Had Its Own 911 System
Editor,
Residents of St. John, brave witnesses, jury members, Brenda Scales and Renee Gumbs-Carty thank you for your hard work and service to Jamie’s family and the St. John community. There are now three evil, violent men off the streets of Love City.
Only because St Johnians stood together on the side of Justice for Jamie were we able to receive the murder one verdict for Jahlil Ward and a possibility of 40 years each for Anselmo Boston and Kamal (Sixpack) Thomas. I owe a great debt to many residents that have supported me during the past 18 months. I have received so many phone calls, emails, even hand written letters from other victims encouraging me to continue to fight for Jamie in any means necessary. So that is exactly what I did.
If anyone has the opportunity to read the transcripts from the recent murder trial you will find that all along we were correct. The police did very little to investigate our sons murder. They did not execute the one search warrant for which they applied.
No one ever searched Kamal Thomas’ home or Selmo’s as far as I can tell. It took until the end of August or early September (2007) for the police to impound the getaway car. There was no forensic/DNA evidence found.
We did receive justice and for that I am very grateful. We received way more than we expected and we thank the brave jury and witnesses and the prosecutors, because they received little help from the police department.
The reason for my letter is two-fold I have already addressed one and now I feel obligated to react to the situation of 911 on St. John. It is very possible my son Jamie would be alive today if there was anyone answering the phone at Jurgen Command or 911.
I want to help get St. John its own 911 system with someone that actually answers the phone. Knowing the St. John residents as I do, I believe 911 could be covered by volunteers. Each day I read more about the wonderful caring people of St. John giving their time to run fundraiser after fundraiser, cleaning beaches and the weekly hike through the National Park Trails to clean debris. So I would call upon volunteers.
While IBM is revamping the system we need to fight together for St. John and I am putting myself out there if anyone has any ideas as to how I may help.
Although my son is gone I would like to help the many other people in need of a real 911, not just victims of violence but any and all emergency situations that come to pass.
You deserve to be covered by a St. John 911. Jamie deserved a 911 system with someone on the other end of the phone. If the tapes were made public as they are in the US, you could hear the desperate calls made to 911. Jamie may be alive today if help had come sooner.
I absolutely believe the Justice Department and prosecutors worked endlessly to receive Justice for Jamie. Having Sara Lezama as public information officer has been not only comforting, but finally we actually had some questions answered rather than being stonewalled by the likes of Charlotte Poole Davis.
Again, justice has been served because of hard work by the prosecutors’ office, brave witnesses and a jury that took their job seriously, sifted through the evidence and came to a just decision. Ours thanks to everyone that stood with us against evil.
Communication and transparency is key when dealing with victims and I pray, in the future, VIPD Commissioner McCall will encourage his employees to be cooperative and compassionate with all victims of crime.
We have one more final day in court, sentencing is scheduled for November 14. Please pray with us for the maximum penalty allowed by law for the men that brutally beat and stabbed my beautiful Jamie to death.
Sincerely,
Jeanie Cockayne