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.
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.
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ﾒs Prison.
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.
Sgt. Sands, accompanied by his attorney Ramona Farquharson, testified in the Coronerﾒs Court Tuesday that around 2am he delivered a message to Hepburn from inmate Barry Parcoi, who had requested sweet milk.
Parcoi and Hepburn were among the group of prison escapees.
According to Sgt. Sands, feeding time at the prison stops between 4pm and 4:30pm.
This prompted Coroner Linda Virgill to again ask if complying with the requests of inmates was not unusual.
Again Sgt. Sands told the court: “Itﾒs not the policy to do this. If you want to, itﾒs up to you.”
While on the stand, the witness denied telling Hepburn to “make it look good,” as Hepburn had testified last month during the inquest.
Sgt. Sands also dismissed claims that he had sent Corporal Dion Bowles to Hepburnﾒs cell.
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.
But thatﾒs not what jurors heard from an unidentified witness, whose police statement was read in court two weeks ago.
According to that witness, former prison escapee Forrester Bowe paid Sgt. Sands $5,000 to bring him a gun, which the officer never did.
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ﾒ body from the C-block corridor.
However, the video showed four officers.
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ﾒs I-block.
Brown and Corporal Bowles were killed during the escape.
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.
Coroner Virgill reminded the prison officer that he is subject to a further recall “should it become necessary.”
By: Macushla N. Pinder, The Bahama Journal
