So very sad and tragic.

It was also on the news again - and a bunch of blogs and big news sites - such as MSNBC. They must have friends in high places. I've never seen something stay in the news so long - esp. in a big city like this. One of the Philly blogs have vowed to turn things up.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22324534/

This story NEEDS to stay in the national spotlight. Period. And Leon Kendall needs to be removed from the bench. Period.

This is a gross travesty of justice.

Dylan,
Why should this tragedy remain in the national spotlight? There are murders here, there, and everywhere every day. There is injustice and police misconduct (sorry to say) everywhere every day. We may have more than our share, but why should this become a national cause celeb?

There are at least two problems. The first is that we in the VI solve fewer murder cases by FAR than any other place in the country. We are down in the low 20% range. The country is well above 60%. Remember that these are SMALL islands..

THE BIGGER ISSUE IS THE MURDER RATE. PER PERSON WE ARE SO FAR ABIVE THE AVERAGE OF EVEN CAMDEN NJ. New York city population over 6 million had about 350 last year. 350! we had 36!!!! We have 110000. they have 6,000,000!

GET TO THE ROOT OF THESE TWO PROBLEMS AND YOU WILL GO A LONG WAY FROM THE PRESS DEALING WITH THE MURDERS WE HAVE.

MY TWO CENTS.

BILLD

By the way follow the trial that was left by Carlos, murder this November. Se how we manage not to solve the crime. He was a good friend. It is a waste. I beleive that we will NEVER solve the problem of our high murder rate until we get to te real causes.

Linda, I think the question is "why shouldn't it remain in the spotlight?"

Just because something is prevasive shouldn't desensitize us to it, if it requires correcting. You are right that there are murders and police fumbles everywhere - and all of them should be spotlighted, IMO. Unfortunately, they are not - because we are desensitized and because not many have the resources to keep the murder of their loved ones in the news. It's good, in this case, that the Cockaynes have that resource and connection.

A few weeks ago there was a murder in Philadelphia, of a police officer. The police had the recources and conenctions to keep the media on the job - and despite the fact that they, the police had no idea who they were seeking....but the media stayed on it and a later news story aired in Miami, leading to the arrest in Miami via someone recognizing the suspect after his family turned him in and a photo was aired on the news.

The Cockayne murder is unsolved. Why should it not remain in the press? It is not a cause celeb.

Linda,

With all due respect, this case is NOT a cause celeb. The problem lies in the fact that no one is being held ACCOUNTABLE for the way this case is being handled. I was born and raised in Nashville. Nashville has a HUGE transient population, HUGE drug problem, HUGE gang problem, yada yada. However, in any capital murder case, ANY BAIL, if bail is even ALLOWED, is set so high as to insure the suspects CANNOT make bail, and in cases such as the Cockyane case, bail would absolutely be denied.

This murder happened next door to the police station. The Cockyane family has REPEATEDLY been given the run around by officials from the police investigators to the Attorney General's office. Leon Kendall CONSISTANTLY set bails that are, for lack of a better word, NONSENSICAL. How can a sitting judge justify setting a bail amount for a suspect in a capital murder case that is no higher than the bail set for, let's say, someone arrested for selling pot?

Read the first few pages of today's VI Daily News and count the VIOLENT CRIME stories. Robberies, shootings, assaults and the like, and see how many you find. Just look at the first 10 pages of the paper, then compare that to the National Average of similar per capita communities. It might make you stop and reconsider the issue you have with the Cockyane case being kept in the National Spotlight.

To me, these are the pertinent facts: a murder was committed, arrests were made, the cases haven't come to trial yet.

Since the family lives outside of Phila, I believe we're use to having anybody accused of murder in jail, with NO bail. This is not the case with this murder.

I think if I was the mother or father I would feel the same. Think of this child as your own and see how you would feel about how the case is being handled.

Linda J. said: "There is injustice and police misconduct (sorry to say) everywhere every day."

Yeah, and cops go on drive by shootings in the States too, eh?

http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17618992

Unfortunately, they do, or worse.

And with the arrest of the two individuals accused of the murders on Christmas Day, I have renewed hope that the new governor and his administration will make a difference.

"Unfortunately, they do, or worse. "

Link please. Within the last five years please.

And if did happen stateside, the citizens of that city would be saying "Whoa! We demand justice!! Whose head is gonna roll??? No justice, no peace!"....and all that which happens after such things.

Not "uh, this happens everywhere........we're cool.....please stop making noise about it"

Arrested on Christmas day.................................A YEAR AGO.................................no court hearings in that year..................no new news about the "investigation" in that year...............................both suspects out running around partying and having a big old time in that year................................the new governor and his administration will make a difference(YEAH RIGHT)

Let me see....................what's that age old adage that they all must be thinking.......................

"IGNORE IT AND IT WILL GO AWAY"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

NOT THIS TIME

The Cockyane family should start a website called "JUSTICE FOR JAMIE.COM"

LindaJ,

Having been in law Enforcement for 30 + years, I have always been and remain sensitive to Police Miss-Conduct issues as "we" all tend to get painted with the same brush. Sure there are problem Cops out there. They are , after all, part of the Human race and thereby not exempt from associated faults/problems but for the life of me I cannot recall any "Police Drive By Shooting" where the Police were perpetrators, as you suggest, and not the targets. Please take this opportunity to prove me wrong if you can.

As to the Judge in this case, He is a prime example of one of the big problems with our Justice System. These type individuals, who, by the way are exempt from civil liability while on the Bench, practise their own Idea of Justice and do as they dam well please. It is a massive problem not limited in scope to the Islands. Legislation from the bench is dangerous and destructive to our way of life. It must end and as many spotlights as possible should be shone on these folks when and wherever they pull this B.S..

God's Speed to the Cockyane family, their cause is Just..

Uh Dylan,

It was a week ago, not a year ago. The link to the article was provided.

Unfornately the real murderer is still on the street and the two suspects are innocent. The real murderer has a big family name in the island and connections and the two supposedlysuspects were arrested to slow down the media and mke them think they had the real murderers. So it ain't over yet. And the police and government know they have the wrong men.

If this case stays in everyone's mind not only will the Cockayne family find justice, but some justice might be found for other crime/corruption victims that live in the USVI full time

this is not just about jamie alone - it is also about changing what is acceptable in the USVI

So Calabash, who is the real murderer? If you know maybe you should tell someone. If the police know they have the wrong people why don't they say so?