The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net FREEPORT - Although Coletor Johnson was acquitted of murder, her co-accused Glinton Louis was found guilty of manslaughter on Thursday in the Supreme Court. The jury returned around 7pm on Thursday with the verdict. They found Louis, 32, not guilty of murder by a vote 12-0, but instead found him guilty of manslaughter by a vote of 8-4. Johnson and Louis were on trial for the murder of Markinson Justin. They were accused of driving a gold-coloured Buick Century when it struck and killed Justin on July 12, 2011 at Explorer's Way. The case opened on Tuesday. Senior Justice Hartman Longley directed the jury on Wednesday after the prosecution closed its case to return a verdict of not guilty against Johnson. He determined that there was no evidence against Johnson. Louis' attorney Brian Hanna called Johnson as a witness for the defence. She told the court that Louis was taking her to work when they stopped at the junction of Explorer's Way. She said Justin, her ex-boyfriend and the father of their daughter, ran towards the car and started hitting her. Johnson said Louis turned to the left and drove off. She said he turned around to go to the police station, and as he was driving, Justin ran across the road and jumped at the car. She said everything happened so fast. They did not stop, and went directly to the police station to report the incident. The defence and prosecution delivered their closing arguments in the morning session. Justice Longley gave his summation by noon. The jury retired to deliberate. Mr Hanna argued that there were many inconsistencies in the evidence given by eye-witnesses. He also noted that the police did not provide any photographs of tyre marks to indicate that Louis had crossed the lane and hit Justin. Mr Hanna told jurors that Louis was taking his girlfriend to work when Justin attacked her. The lawyer said his client never left home that morning with intentions of killing Justin. The prosecution argued that all eye-witness accounts indicated that the car was speeding in the wrong lane when it hit Louis. Prosecutor Durell Taylor said the medical evidence of Dr Tancawan also suggested that Louis' injuries were consistent with him being struck and not jumping on the car. She also stressed that Louis was the aggressor and that he was not defending himself and had no legal justification for harming Justin. Justice Longley has set sentencing for Louis on April 20.