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3 Found Guilty In Island Murder Of Bucks Co. Man

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Oct 12, 2008 7:15 pm US/Eastern

3 Found Guilty In Island Murder Of Bucks Co. Man

U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) ― A jury on Friday found three men guilty in the killing of a 21-year-old Pennsylvania man outside a St. John bar last year.

A judge said the men will be sentenced Nov. 14 for the beating and stabbing of James Cockayne of New Hope, Pennsylvania, who had moved to the U.S. Virgin Islands and planned to work as a boating instructor.

Jahleel Ward was found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges. Anselmo Boston and Kamal Thomas were found guilty on two counts each of third-degree assault, among other charges.

"My son's gone," said William Cockayne, the victim's father. "But I think the verdict was fair given the evidence."

The three were arrested after Cockayne's parents appeared on U.S. news programs and accused Virgin Islands detectives of botching the investigation.

Ward was arrested in June of this year, while Boston and Thomas were arrested in August 2007.

Lawyers for the three men have accused prosecutors of filing false charges following intense pressure from the news media.

Boston's attorney, Ben Currence, said the stabbing caused it to become a high-profile case.

"I think the government wouldn't have been as wild in terms of the broad net that they threw to try and get someone," he said.

Attorneys for Ward and Thomas could not be reached for comment.

Witnesses said Cockayne was drinking at a St. John bar on June 19, 2007, when Boston accused him of having kicked his girlfriend's car, according to prosecutor Brenda Scales.

Cockayne was then hit in the head with a pool cue before he and Thomas were ordered to leave the bar, according to court documents. He was then attacked outside near a clothing store.




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