Suspect Arrested in Jamie Cockayne's Murder...But This is Far From Over

CNN's Anderson Cooper on Monday at 10 PM ET is dedicated to Jamie

here it is:

http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/anderson.cooper.360/

Monday's Show
A young man's trip to an island paradise ends with his brutal murder. Now his parents say the investigation is being totally botched. A family's fight for justice, Monday 10 ET.

I just heard that the get-away car was never impounded. The alleged murderer feld the bloody scene in a car driven by someone else. There were witnesses to that. I heard that the Cockayne family went to the VI to be briefed about the arrest, but had to leave because they were beaing threatened - by people driving the get-away car! If this is true, and the car was never impounded to be searched for blood/DNA evidence, then the case has been severely botched - as expected.

My heart and deepest sympathies go out to the Cockayne family whose son, Jamie, was killed on St. John.

I was born and raised in St. John and consider it to the most beautiful and safest place to be. Violent crime on St. John is extremely low. In fact, we have had a recent span, I believe, of five years when we did not have one murder. If there is a murder, it’s one per year (of course, even one murder is one too much). It is a place where people feel safe enough to hitch hike, and honk their horns to say “hi” to friends, opposed to expressing road rage.

Thus, when I heard about the murder, I was completely appalled. I sympathize with the family’s frustration with the police department’s investigation. If I was in their shoes, I would most likely be doing the same thing --- contacting the media to put pressure on the investigation.

In doing so, however, a dark picture is being painted of the island opposed to the investigation. Many headlines read, “Murder in Paradise.” Statements are being made to warn tourists about coming to the islands, etc. As a native St. Johnian, I am highly disturbed that is picture is being painted of an island that has one of the lowest, almost absent murder rate.

In the midst of the family’s anger and frustration, I realize it would be difficult to not speak negatively about the safety of the island as this makes the story more news worthy.

For this reason, I feel it necessary to let people know that the St. John is very beautiful and is extremely safe.

I encourage the family to continue their fight and hope they see justice for their son , Jamie, very soon.

Although, I wasn’t born in the Virgin Islands, my parents moved to St. John when I was a mere 6 weeks old.

The beautiful and tranquil island of St. John has been my home since 1982.

From the years of 1982 – 1999, I soundly remember no more than 4 homicides occurring on the island of St. John.

I am not trying to portray a peachy clean portrait of the island, simply just stating the facts.

Yes, my condolences go out to the Cockayne family, and such a gruesome murder shouldn’t have occurred on the island of St. John.

No human being was put on Earth to suffer such excruciating acts from senseless individuals.

I hope the person(s) responsible for this is caught and reprimanded.

However, I must say that I don’t agree with all the negative comments that have been submitted about the island.

It seems like once something happens to an American in the Caribbean they feel as though everything should stop at that point, and all attention should be redirect to them.

This is not fair. Everyone should be cautious of there surroundings no matter where they are. No where is safe, not even in America...

It has been reported that this young man was intoxicated and acting out of order. Not that this was a reason to take a life, but sometimes we are left to suffer from the consequences of our acts.

Please, stop painting a negative picture of the island, and let’s focus on what really happened here.

A SENSELESS ACT OF VINDICTIVENESS

- St. John Native (Living on mainland)

Although, I wasn’t born in the Virgin Islands, my parents moved to St. John when I was a mere 6 weeks old.

The beautiful and tranquil island of St. John has been my home since 1982.

From the years of 1982 – 1999, I soundly remember no more than 4 homicides occurring on the island of St. John.

I am not trying to portray a peachy clean portrait of the island, simply just stating the facts.

Yes, my condolences go out to the Cockayne family, and such a gruesome murder shouldn’t have occurred on the island of St. John.

No human being was put on Earth to suffer such excruciating acts from senseless individuals.

I hope the person(s) responsible for this is caught and reprimanded.

However, I must say that I don’t agree with all the negative comments that have been submitted about the island.

It seems like once something happens to an American in the Caribbean they feel as though everything should stop at that point, and all attention should be redirect to them.

This is not fair. Everyone should be cautious of there surroundings no matter where they are. No where is safe, not even in America...

It has been reported that this young man was intoxicated and acting out of order. Not that this was a reason to take a life, but sometimes we are left to suffer from the consequences of our acts.

Please, stop painting a negative picture of the island, and let’s focus on what really happened here.

A SENSELESS ACT OF VINDICTIVENESS

- St. John Native (Living on mainland)

Although, I wasn’t born in the Virgin Islands, my parents moved to St. John when I was a mere 6 weeks old.

The beautiful and tranquil island of St. John has been my home since 1982.

From the years of 1982 – 1999, I soundly remember no more than 4 homicides occurring on the island of St. John.

I am not trying to portray a peachy clean portrait of the island, simply just stating the facts.

Yes, my condolences go out to the Cockayne family, and such a gruesome murder shouldn’t have occurred on the island of St. John.

No human being was put on Earth to suffer such excruciating acts from senseless individuals.

I hope the person(s) responsible for this is caught and reprimanded.

However, I must say that I don’t agree with all the negative comments that have been submitted about the island.

It seems like once something happens to an American in the Caribbean they feel as though everything should stop at that point, and all attention should be redirect to them.

This is not fair. Everyone should be cautious of there surroundings no matter where they are. No where is safe, not even in America...

It has been reported that this young man was intoxicated and acting out of order. Not that this was a reason to take a life, but sometimes we are left to suffer from the consequences of our acts.

Please, stop painting a negative picture of the island, and let’s focus on what really happened here.

A SENSELESS ACT OF VINDICTIVENESS

- St. John Native (Living on mainland)

Thank you for posting, even if you felt the need to do it TWICE.

We take umbrage at this comment :

"It seems like once something happens to an American in the Caribbean they feel as though everything should stop at that point, and all attention should be redirect to them."

FACT: St. John's is a US Territory so we have every right as Americans to complain!

FACT: Reports state (and the family as well) that Jamie was killed by not one, but multiple persons are involved in his death - so it isn't just one guy.

FACT: Jamie Cockayne's family tried for 2 months, 2 months to play by the rules of your home island. What did it get them? Nothing but frustrated.

FACT: St. John government by all accounts, knew within days who suspects were, yet they did NOTHING until CNN showed up with camera crews!

FACT: The Cockayne family has been threatened and intimidated several times since Jamie was butchered and left to die on a street.

FACT: Due to threats, by our count, the Cockaynes have had to evacuate your "beautiful" island TWICE.

FACT: The hospitable nature of St John natives also caused CNN camera crews to leave the island, so there are obviously a lot of people who hate on this island, right?

FACT: posted as comments in other posts here and throughout the web, Virgin Island natives have told of drug problems, crime, government corruption

FACT: Even a human being might have a beautiful face, yet a rotton soul. Ditto for islands - to you it might be beautiful, and utlimately home, but to many others, it is something entirely different.

So while we appreciate your natural defensiveness, we stand by our assertion that this island has a seedy and corrupt underbelly and people should be warned. Like it or not the Constitution of the United States gives us the right to express our opinions.

You are correct, you do have to have your eyes open everywhere - look at the City of Philadelphia - our city is basically Murder USA. We warn people about their safety in Philadelphia too - the thing that is different is government doesn't try to cover up the problem - they just haven't a clue on how to make it stop - neither do we for that matter...the world is a cruel place.

If St. John's Governor and other government officials had treated the Cockayne family differently, or this case, none of us would be having this conversation, now would we?

If you are a native, you should write your governor post haste and tell him what his government's beahvior has wrought. They are to blame, not us for having an opinion shared by millions at this point.

Thanks again for writing.

On June 19th, your island was anything but safe, as 21 year old James Patrick Cockayne was stabbed to death by a couple of local youths out for some kicks. This was a stabbing that could have been prevented by your wonderful island police. They could have turned their lights and sirens on when they heard that a "white boy" was being chased; and they could have turned their lights and sirens on when they heard that a "white boy" was being beaten. When they found the "white boy" and his car, they could have chosen to first approach the "white boy" and offer assistance. They chose to leave this young man wounded and dying on the ground. They could have cared for him before they went to care for the car. They could have cared about the young man dying before their eyes. Even after their delayed reaction to the initial crime, what kind of cops take 5 min to complete a fifteen second trip from the station to the kill site; with no lights and no siren. Your island remains unsafe as long as these thugs are allowed to operate with impunity under the noses of the local police. If not for the spotlight focused on this disfunctional community by national mainland media outlets, this crime would continue to go unsolved. The island authorities have repeatedly failed to exercise even a moderate level of competence, or a slight interest. They destroyed fresh evidence on the night of the murder. It took them six weeks to do anything positive to solve this case, and they only took action after the mainland media outlets began to expose the truth.
If this crime had occured in my town, these guys would have been off the street within a week. How often do you have two eye witnesses to a capital crime? How often do you have a car known as the getaway car crusing around a month after the crime; carrying all the evidence that would have been collected by a police department that was even moderately interested; or slightly competent. You are welcome to hold on to your visions of the idillic and tranquil island.

On June 19th, your island was anything but safe, as 21 year old James Patrick Cockayne was stabbed to death by a couple of local youths out for some kicks. This was a stabbing that could have been prevented by your wonderful island police. They could have turned their lights and sirens on when they heard that a "white boy" was being chased; and they could have turned their lights and sirens on when they heard that a "white boy" was being beaten. When they found the "white boy" and his car, they could have chosen to first approach the "white boy" and offer assistance. They chose to leave this young man wounded and dying on the ground. They could have cared for him before they went to care for the car. They could have cared about the young man dying before their eyes. Even after their delayed reaction to the initial crime, what kind of cops take 5 min to complete a fifteen second trip from the station to the kill site; with no lights and no siren. Your island remains unsafe as long as these thugs are allowed to operate with impunity under the noses of the local police. If not for the spotlight focused on this disfunctional community by national mainland media outlets, this crime would continue to go unsolved. The island authorities have repeatedly failed to exercise even a moderate level of competence, or a slight interest. They destroyed fresh evidence on the night of the murder. It took them six weeks to do anything positive to solve this case, and they only took action after the mainland media outlets began to expose the truth.
If this crime had occured in my town, these guys would have been off the street within a week. How often do you have two eye witnesses to a capital crime? How often do you have a car known as the getaway car crusing around a month after the crime; carrying all the evidence that would have been collected by a police department that was even moderately interested; or slightly competent. You are welcome to hold on to your visions of the idillic and tranquil island.

Jamie's mother, Jean, wrote a letter to the St. John Tradewinds Newspaper (and includes the CNN reporter incident) as follows:

Cockayne Family Happy with Arrest, Seek Protection PDF Print E-mail
Written by Author as indicated
Monday, 06 August 2007

Dear Editor,

We are very happy an arrest has finally been made in the murder of our son.

We believe the Commissioner, James McCall, has done his very best in a very difficult situation. Yesterday we met with Poole-Davis, Foy, Mr. Jenkins, Ms. Gumbs and the Commissioner.

We thought we were going to receive some long awaited information regarding the murder of our son Jamie. You can imagine my surprise when, what we walked into felt like a trip to the principles office for misbehaving.

We were taken to task for going to the stateside media. We were told that we have ruined any chance of getting a fair jury because the trial will be in St Thomas and because of the media attention, potential jurors have been tainted. We listened patiently for a good ten minutes.

Please understand we did not want to go to the stateside media. We only did that more than four weeks after Jamie’s murder because we were notified of a witness being threatened. It was a last resort for us. We didn’t go to the media until we exhausted ourselves trying to get some, any information from law enforcement. We didn’t go to the media when we found out who the killers were.

Everyone on this island has been talking about this kid “Sixpack” since the day after the murder. Now we can only hope that this punk is put away for life so no one else loses a loved one because he is not convicted. An arrest is the first step and we are still holding our breath.

The point has been missed. We believe St. John to be a beautiful island and we believe law and order should be restored.

So, for now, we don’t ask for Justice for Jamie, we ask for Justice for St. John.

Jean Gilligan Cockayne
P.S. Just learned that my husband and Sean were in an altercation in Cruz Bay.

Here is the story:
Bill and Sean were doing some errands in town when the car that was used as a getaway car was seen following them. Needless to say, they were freaked.

After doing some errands, they drove by the car ferry parking lot and spotted the car again. They left to tell the police and the commissioner. On the way they ran into the two CNN reporters and told them about the car.

The reporters asked to be taken to the car and Sean and Bill took them. When they got to the car the reporters asked if they could film it and the license plate. While filming, a supposed owner came and aid to stop. They stopped and left. The woman (owner?) got in the getaway car and followed Bill, Sean and the CNN guys.

When they got to Slimman’s parking lot the crazy lady blocked them in and would not let them leave.Sean had already called McCall about the car and the FBI. They also called the police, I think.

The woman called her brother, big guy 6’5”, 300 pounds easy. The lady’s brother arrived before the police! He threatened the reporters with physical harm and the woman for some reason began yelling, “that kid was a drug addict and crackhead.”

I CAN ONLY ASSUME SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT JAMIE.

The police finally arrived and promptly let the crazy woman leave with the getaway car?

The CNN reporters have now fled St. John. No kidding, they were really freaked. One of them spent time in Iraq and he was still freaked!

We have no protection from these people and have asked for the commissioner to find us a safe place to stay. He has said he will give us police protection. We will see.

This will be the second time we have been chased off St. John in fear of our lives. What the heck are they waiting for? Why don’t they get the car before someone gets it off island?

What is going on, this is crazy.
Jeanie

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2007/08/07/kaye.island.murder.mystery.cnn

A Local’s (rather “My”) Perception of the Murder Case:

What makes this situation so touchy to locals vs. non-locals are the following points of interest:

1. There seems to be discriminatory haste for justice when a Caucasian/state-sider is killed versus an islander. Regardless of the color or nationality of victim, the seeking of justice should be equally important. I say this to say: there have been blacks killed where the case remains unsolved and in the eyes of the public, seems to be dropped from the police’s radar; but the minute a white person is killed, “all hell breaks lose” and a seemingly quiet island is now a scary place to be.

2. Also, no one seems to mention the fact that the victim was intoxicated and belligerent. Though saying this, I need to be extremely clear that: being drunk is no reason to be killed. Thus the fact remains, and it may shed some light on the course of events. Reports are giving the perception that a young innocent white boy is on the island with his mom, who’s looking to buy a house, and just waiting for his paperwork to be cleared before he gets this great sailing job on the neighboring islands; while out drinking one night he gets in an altercation with some locals, is chased and ultimately stabbed to death. Now add in the “un-stated others” that he was by himself and intoxicated at early morning hours, and it starts to paint a different picture that maybe more than the naïve occurred. Though unfortunately Jamie isn’t here to speak for himself, I believe there’s a little more that might have provoked events.

3. As in any place, (especially as a visitor) you should know areas of where you shouldn’t venture into at various times by yourself. It is constitutionally your right to go walking into Blood and Crips territory at 2 o’clock in the morning, but what would common sense tell you to do? Does that seem safe, or are you ignorantly asking for trouble?

4. Another thought that adds fuel to my fire on the non-locals one-sided outlook of this case is a situation that they may not be privy to… Last year a black woman accused some white guys of rape on St. John. The time it took for FBI to take some interest to the island/case (FBI, because it was viewed as a hate crime) was totally ridiculous! And for justice to be served was even more nail-biting and secretive. Where was the media then? Where was CNN a couple of weeks ago when a veteran and National Guard hero was senselessly killed while filling an atm machine. Why hasn’t CNN come to do a tidbit on that? I think the locals are not upset that CNN came but that they came for a white murder when there are other unsolved murders. I believe there’s a rush by the media to quickly sensationalize paradise as being less than such when something occurs (i.e. Natalee Holloway in Aruba).

In closing I just want to acknowledge and agree with the plight of Jamie’s family in seeking justice. I have observed that in the beginning they hadn’t set out to shed a bad light on the island. In fact, Jamie’s mother was plainly saying that her son had been murdered on St. John (which was a wonderful island) and that they were urging people to come forward with any information. After the slow moving feet of the police and not being informed of progress in the investigation, they changed their stance to bringing in the media in an effort to kinda jumpstart things. I’m thinking they saw that as being a last resort for attention/help which would inadvertently lead to justice. After all, we’re talking about they’re son being murdered! I hope that you get justice, because whoever committed this crime is nothing less than a ruthless heartless killer.

As for the image of St. John, I leave you to draw your own conclusion…look at the murder/crime statistics and then look at the pictures in the magazines and read the articles about what vacationing on the island is like and the decision will be a ‘no-brainer’. St. John will remain “America’s Paradise”!!!

Dear Local,

I understand where you are coming from, however I do have some items in which I object to in your statement above.

I have known both Jamie and his family for awhile now. Jamie was not just a "visitor", as you put it. This wasn't his first time on the island. Jamie's family has been vacationing to the USVI, mainly St. John, for years now. His parents met on the island, married on the island, and raised Jamie within its shores whenever they had the chance to get out of New Hope, PA and previously Basking Ridge, NJ. Thus, I would give Jamie a little more credit to know where the bad areas are.

Further, was Jamie drinking, yes. Was he belligerent? We don't know. However, Jean has been the first one to say that Jamie wasn't sitting there stone cold sober. Yet it is also important to note the time of the murder. Jamie wasn't strolling the streets alone between the hours of 2-3 in the morning. He died at 12:28, which last time I checked, during the summer, is still a popular time for people to be out and roaming.

Is it horrible that other murders have gone unsolved? Absolutely, it's atrocious. The Cockayne's have noted that other murdrers have gone on since Jamie's death on the island that also haven't been solved. The most important thing is that Jamie's murderers be brought to justice, and if in the process this exposes the truth of a what clearly is a corrupt government and agency with problems that have been snowballing for years on end.... wouldn't you as a local want that for not only yourself, but your neighbors, the tourists who are the pulse and backbone of your economy, and your family?

While I completely agree with you in the need for justice and the deletion of corruption within this agency, I must correct you on two points (like you have so graciously done to me)...

1. Because Jamie has been to the island vacationing for years now, hardly makes him someone with the knowledge of the bad areas. To tell you the truth, I've lived on the island for 25 years, and on a small island where you either know or have seen everyone before...I have never seen Jamie in my life (nor the arrested suspect).

2. Secondly, NO other murders have occured on St. John since Jamie's untimely passing. (And probably won't occur for the next couple of years.)

If your plight is to get the justice that you undoubtedly deserve and in the meantime possibly shed some light on the unaccaptable slow-moving-secretive-tactics of the investigators, then I whole-heartedly agree. But if your aim is to totally discredit the island for its people and what it has to offer (because a close friend of yours became the island's first murder in years) then that's where my disagreement lies.

Dear St. John Native (Living on Mainland):
Firstly, you are incorrect in the use of the word "native." You were not born on St. John, and by the dates you've listed, you left at seventeen. Perhaps you would be considered one of the lucky ones. Since you haven't been living on St. John since 1999, I cordially invite you to come and visit the island, eight years after your departure. Let's how many times a vagrant will spit in your face after they demand ten dollars and you refuse. Let's see how much you will like being called racist names; the drug transactions happening before your eyes, all hours of the day and night; let's see how you like being shoved around by the local bums who demand that you but them breakfast or lunch or dinner; when you go to a beach and you are relieved of your money and personal belongings by the lovely armed robbers. Let’s see how you feel seeing the vagrants dropping their pants anywhere and defecating or urinating in public. Your facts are old and misconstrued, and are actually your memories of what the island used to somewhat be. How can you not agree with the negative comments about the islands, when a young man, outnumbered and defenseless is beaten and stabbed to death? Put yourself in Jaime Cockayne's shoes that night; feel your scull being cracked open; blood pouring from the wound; feel the sharp steel entering your flesh; stunned; feel the last breaths drawing from your lungs. Yes, everyone should be cautious of his or her surroundings, but I would greatly appreciate if you would please give me an updated list of the "safe" places that I can go here. What most offends me is that since you believe that this young man was intoxicated and acting "out of order" he deserved this. If this was the case, the island’s population would be cut in half. I implore you to come down and pick a bar of your choice and have a few drinks; keep watching your back, drunk or sober; keep watching over your shoulder; make sure that when you leave, no one follows you. Keep your mouth shut, even when they call you a white faggit, a punk, or an array of other nice obscenities. Never have pride and never push your chest out in a display of such pride. Never look at anyone too long and try to focus only into what you are drinking. Pray, that you will not be robbed and pray even harder that the these guys won't think it's funny to beat the hell out of you and leave you bleeding on the ground, squirming and pleading. You are ignorant of the facts. You know, you see things on these islands and sometimes, you just keep your mouth shut.
“A bar is in fully swing, just before midnight last summer. A big taxi van pulls up. Two young white guys, late teens, early twenties, obviously tourists, get out from the back of the taxi. Another of their friends gets our from the front passenger side, blood pouring from a deep gash in his forehead. Someone runs over and asks him what happened; he should go to the hospital. The young guy, a bit intoxicated, explains that he was sitting in front and the taxi man had a religious radio station on, so he changed the station. The taxi man told him that he was an off duty police officer and not to touch his radio. The young guy turns the station again and Mr. Taxi Man-Off Duty Police Officer cracks his head open with the butt of his gun. He drops the three young men off and waits. As the young man talks about what happened, the taxi man-off-duty police officer runs over and shouts that the victim was still making trouble and yelled for a security officer to arrest him. How funny it was to see this little busted up, bleeding white guy running around and flitting away from the oversized, big bird looking security officer. Finally, the white guy throws himself on the middle of the dance floor and curls into a ball, as the security officer raises his fist for the strike and just barely realized that there were over a dozen witnesses to his would be attack.” All I could remember was dialing 911 and screaming for them to call off their dogs from this white kid whose head was bashed in by an off duty police officer and who was about to be fisted down by a security guard, when this guy had done nothing illegalt one sound was uttered from the other end of the 911 line, even if the female did answer the phone when I called. But according to you, he deserved this because he was intoxicated and turned the station on a taxi driver-off duty police officer’s radio. And you know what, to this damn day, I wonder what ever happened to this guy; I wonder which parents were suffering; if he ever got medical treatment. Well, I kept my mouth shut and I’m still here. So please Mr. Native, come down and I’ll show you around.

Dear St. John Native (Living on Mainland):
Firstly, you are incorrect in the use of the word "native." You were not born on St. John, and by the dates you've listed, you left at seventeen. Perhaps you would be considered one of the lucky ones. Since you haven't been living on St. John since 1999, I cordially invite you to come and visit the island, eight years after your departure. Let's how many times a vagrant will spit in your face after they demand ten dollars and you refuse. Let's see how much you will like being called racist names; the drug transactions happening before your eyes, all hours of the day and night; let's see how you like being shoved around by the local bums who demand that you but them breakfast or lunch or dinner; when you go to a beach and you are relieved of your money and personal belongings by the lovely armed robbers. Let’s see how you feel seeing the vagrants dropping their pants anywhere and defecating or urinating in public. Your facts are old and misconstrued, and are actually your memories of what the island used to somewhat be. How can you not agree with the negative comments about the islands, when a young man, outnumbered and defenseless is beaten and stabbed to death? Put yourself in Jaime Cockayne's shoes that night; feel your scull being cracked open; blood pouring from the wound; feel the sharp steel entering your flesh; stunned; feel the last breaths drawing from your lungs. Yes, everyone should be cautious of his or her surroundings, but I would greatly appreciate if you would please give me an updated list of the "safe" places that I can go here. What most offends me is that since you believe that this young man was intoxicated and acting "out of order" he deserved this. If this was the case, the island’s population would be cut in half. I implore you to come down and pick a bar of your choice and have a few drinks; keep watching your back, drunk or sober; keep watching over your shoulder; make sure that when you leave, no one follows you. Keep your mouth shut, even when they call you a white faggit, a punk, or an array of other nice obscenities. Never have pride and never push your chest out in a display of such pride. Never look at anyone too long and try to focus only into what you are drinking. Pray, that you will not be robbed and pray even harder that the these guys won't think it's funny to beat the hell out of you and leave you bleeding on the ground, squirming and pleading. You are ignorant of the facts. You know, you see things on these islands and sometimes, you just keep your mouth shut.
“A bar is in fully swing, just before midnight last summer. A big taxi van pulls up. Two young white guys, late teens, early twenties, obviously tourists, get out from the back of the taxi. Another of their friends gets our from the front passenger side, blood pouring from a deep gash in his forehead. Someone runs over and asks him what happened; he should go to the hospital. The young guy, a bit intoxicated, explains that he was sitting in front and the taxi man had a religious radio station on, so he changed the station. The taxi man told him that he was an off duty police officer and not to touch his radio. The young guy turns the station again and Mr. Taxi Man-Off Duty Police Officer cracks his head open with the butt of his gun. He drops the three young men off and waits. As the young man talks about what happened, the taxi man-off-duty police officer runs over and shouts that the victim was still making trouble and yelled for a security officer to arrest him. How funny it was to see this little busted up, bleeding white guy running around and flitting away from the oversized, big bird looking security officer. Finally, the white guy throws himself on the middle of the dance floor and curls into a ball, as the security officer raises his fist for the strike and just barely realized that there were over a dozen witnesses to his would be attack.” All I could remember was dialing 911 and screaming for them to call off their dogs from this white kid whose head was bashed in by an off duty police officer and who was about to be fisted down by a security guard, when this guy had done nothing illegalt one sound was uttered from the other end of the 911 line, even if the female did answer the phone when I called. But according to you, he deserved this because he was intoxicated and turned the station on a taxi driver-off duty police officer’s radio. And you know what, to this damn day, I wonder what ever happened to this guy; I wonder which parents were suffering; if he ever got medical treatment. Well, I kept my mouth shut and I’m still here. So please Mr. Native, come down and I’ll show you around.

I was just in St. John for a month and I will tell you what the story is on the island. According to locals of the island, that kid came to the island and set up shop as a drug dealer. The conflict in the bar was caused by him trying to gain territory on the island. He is known to taunt police officers and be drunk and disorderly. That particular night he was wasted and started his rants about how he was going to take over the whole island. He finally pissed off the wrong people.

I am not trying to say that he deserved it or that its ok since he is a drug dealer, but it is funny how noone is mentioning what the cause of the fight was or what was going on. The front yard is pretty popular and always crowded to all hours. I doubt that they couldnt find a single person that knew what the argument was about. Local press just doesnt want to paint that picture.

You are now claiming that Jamie was a drug dealer and killed as a result of a turf war? If that is true, please explain why a drug dealer would fight to expand his territory on St John a couple of weeks before his scheduled move to take a job on Virgin Gorda. You probably are having a tough time with that one.

You are now claiming that Jamie was a drug dealer and killed as a result of a turf war? If that is true, please explain why a drug dealer would fight to expand his territory on St John a couple of weeks before his scheduled move to take a job on Virgin Gorda. You probably are having a tough time with that one.

As an American who lives in the Caribbean I can tell you that the "island mentality" is not so warm and friendly and crime is rampant. Unfortunately most people switch to vacation mode and let down their defenses.

The local people resent ANYONE, not just Americans, who move to their island. Instead of working to make the islands a nice and friendly place for tourists (WHICH IS THEIR MAJOR SOURCE OF INCOME) they prey on them.

After years of living in the Caribbean I can tell you that I appreciate the US 100 times more than I used to. Our system may not be perfect but compared to the legal system and police abilities in the Caribbean it is paradise.

In Response:

"If your plight is to get the justice that you undoubtedly deserve and in the meantime possibly shed some light on the unaccaptable slow-moving-secretive-tactics of the investigators, then I whole-heartedly agree. But if your aim is to totally discredit the island for its people and what it has to offer (because a close friend of yours became the island's first murder in years) then that's where my disagreement lies."

I'm sure you misinterpreted my post, as I have never, nor has the Cockayne family, put blame on the locals or the physicality and opportunity of the island itself. In fact, Jamie came down to the USVI FOR opportunity. It is the incompetence of the government and its surrounding agencies where the blame lies. Reading multiple articles on the situation would have educated yourself on these topics before making such statements.

Re: After years of living in the Caribbean I can tell you that I appreciate the US 100 times more than I used to. Our system may not be perfect but compared to the legal system and police abilities in the Caribbean it is paradise.

Hey buddy...If you don't like it...LEAVE...

Re: After years of living in the Caribbean I can tell you that I appreciate the US 100 times more than I used to. Our system may not be perfect but compared to the legal system and police abilities in the Caribbean it is paradise.

Hey buddy...If you don't like it...LEAVE...

Re: After years of living in the Caribbean I can tell you that I appreciate the US 100 times more than I used to. Our system may not be perfect but compared to the legal system and police abilities in the Caribbean it is paradise.

Hey buddy...If you don't like it...LEAVE...

St. John...Is just a boat ride away from Virgin Gorda...What difference does it makes if he was leaving for a job in the BVI....This young man knew how to navigate the seas and could travel between the whole British Virgin Islands and United States Virgin Islands within a day (Yes they are that close to each other)...

A drug dealer's main objective is to expand their territory.

Listen you addled VI lovers, your island has got some problems, so get over yourselves and help yourselves. That is number one. Number 2, to whomever is accusing that dead boy of being a drug dealer, I say perhaps the anonymouse poster doth protest too much and YOU are a drug dealer? Oh and have you seen this:
More details on St. John slaying emerge in court hearing
By JOSEPH TSIDULKO
Tuesday, August 7th 2007

The man charged with stabbing to death 21-year-old Jamie Cockayne in St. John's Cruz Bay appeared Monday before a V.I. Superior Court judge - a preliminary hearing in which arguments and accompanying court documents for the first time shed light on the nature of the police investigation that has come under intense scrutiny from the national media.

An affidavit supporting the arrest warrant naming Kamal Thomas, the only suspect charged by late Monday in connection with the case, details witness accounts of events before and after Cockayne was stabbed to death in the early morning hours of June 19 after leaving a bar next door to St. John's police station.

One witness told police he saw the severely wounded Cockayne emerge from behind a wall, blood gushing onto his shorts as he shouted out challenges to his fleeing attackers....Thomas, an 18-year-old known around St. John as "Six Pack," was arrested Friday on first-degree murder, first-degree assault and weapons charges. Another warrant signed Sunday and served Monday charges Thomas with intimidating a witness in the case.

The witness told police "Six Pack" made a threat against him on July 31 in Cruz Bay.

Seeking to keep Thomas behind bars until trial, prosecutors came to Judge Leon Kendall's courtroom on Monday with a written motion arguing for pretrial detention.....After being advised of his rights, Thomas told the judge he came to St. Thomas from Tortola about one year ago. He said he has a criminal record in the British Virgin Islands, but he did not elaborate on those crimes. ....Thomas and his friend, Anselmo Boston, who is now considered a "person of interest" in the case, according to police.

And oh by the way, if y'all in the US VI are so pure, why did a letter from wwww.judicialwatch.org get sent to the VI Commission on Judicial Disabiliites? A letter dated April 2007 about a judge in St. John's? The letter was addressed I am told to 4 people on this committee. Y'all who live in St John - file a freedom of information act request, or better yet, call Judicial Watch at 888-JW-ETHIC. Bet they'll send you a copy.

I am also real ired of the guest posters posting an reposting the same idiotic commentsin succession. Do yourselves a favor and wait a few darn minutes to see if your post was accepted. And watch your racist hate speech. have no tolerance of that either.

And unless you have concrete proof of something, don't malign the deceased, Jamie Cockayne. He is only guily of being young and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

And that island of ST John US VI should be boycotted and subsidies halted until this crime is solved and all the other underlying issues dealt with.

And if you are a runaway bride out there, might I suggest Hawaii or Bermuda?

Lets get some things straight, its obvious that st. john, as any other island in the Caribbean, is dangerous. I know the bar The Front Yard. I know Cruz Bay. The Front Yard is not a safe place after 9-10 at night. Especially for a white tourist. From the articles out there, this kid has been to the island many times. I would assume he would know when and where it is safe to be at night. Problems with the police are historical there, so the police dept next door is no comfort to the dangers at that bar. It is notorious for drug deals and fights. Your statement that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time is naive. He knew exactly where he was and at what time of night. The only reason to be white and at Front Yard at that time is to look for trouble. Unfortunately, he found it that night.

And just because I post anonymous doesnt make me a drug dealer. I am not saying because he was there, he is a drug dealer. I was just conveying what I heard from local people in St. John. Its nice to paint the rosey picture of an innocent young teenager waiting for the trip of a life time who gets victimized, but this kid had a rep on the island long before his death.

Racism in the USVI..

The USVI is a hotbed of racism and St John is at the center of it. An earlier poster mentioned the Frett case, the alleged rape of a black woman by three white males.

This case was investigated for six months by multiple federal agencies, FBI,ATF,DOJ, etc. They could not even determine that a rape had ever occurred.

The beginning of this saga was an altercation between a white male shop owner and a black female shop owner. They had words on multiple occasions. On one occasion the white male hip bumped the black female. She filed simple assault charges. These were quickly upgraded to a hate crime, a felony. While this was playing out the alleged rape occurred. Black people from all over the VI came to St John to picket the white owned stores. They shut down white owned stores to protest this horrible rape. During this time the white males shop and car were burned by parties unknown. The result of this case is that the white shop owner was convicted of a hate crime and is serving time. The burning of his shop and car remain unsolved.

What isn't mentioned is that of all of the inter-racial rapes in the territory this is the only one involving white males and a black woman and there was no proof that it occurred, no rape kit was done, only Ms Fretts accusation. I can think of at least 5 rapes involving black men and a white woman, some involving tourists. Guess what, no picketting or uproar occurred. I think that the white people in the VI should be more upset.

This racism comes all the way from the top. Check out this video of one of our Senators on the senate floor.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpYV3sPPs60

So to anyone who comes down here on vacation, the islands are beautiful but the people are not. If you are lucky and nothing happens you'll have a great vacation. If you have a problem don't expect to be treated like you are in the United States because you are not.

The corruption down here is rampant. We have 110,000 people total and are currently 2 Billion (with a B) in debt and growing. Our senators and governor are some of the highest paid under the US flag. And yet the USVI government is totally disfunctional. Every branch of the government is broken.

Sorry but your post needs responding to....

First off if you were smart you' probably think A. the site was moving slow or B. they might have hit post comment more than once.

US territory or not Americans will complain. And as for the two month thing, I'm sorry but you all must watch a lot of CSI or Law & Order because not all crimes are solved in a day. There's such as thing as making a case strong enough for the prosecution to try the case and with all the witness intimidation and St. John being so small I know that is a big hurdle. These witnesses can say all they want to an investigator or police and there are many times people will tell what they've witnessed and when they realize they have to testify in front of people (which doesn't click right off) people recant statements or change their story..which happens alot in the VI since we are so small and everybody knows everybody (hell the officer your giving your statement to can be this killer's cousin). Corruption this, corruption that...this is not something brand new to the USA (and Philly) so please spare me the BS. I can honestly say I don't blame them for getting upset with CNN. Their everyday living, which maybe jacked up to you (and some of you all should talking seeing the Philly statistics) but home to them, is being disrupted by news crews and reporters cause CNN isn't the first to come down there. People should be warned? Yes they should. If people would stop acting like can't nothing happen to them in the islands and act like its a foreign place they know nothing about and proceed cautiously alot of these things can be prevented. I can't tell you how many times I've told tourists don't go that way or don't go this way and they know damn well they're not from the island but they just "want to see". See what? The beach is that way. Not down the dark alley. Or how many times I've been asked who has the good weed and where to go...I am not going to say any of the gossip I have heard because regardless nobody deserves to be murdered, NOBODY. Our government is to blame? Ok. I can see if it has been 6 months and no word but it hasn't been two months since he's died. He died what, Jun 19th? How many times you hear of stories of police knowing exactly who committed a murder on the mainland and the murderer still walking around. But here come some of you, oh this and oh that casting judgement on a island and not a murderer for his actions. Yes, the police could have gotten there faster. How many times has that been said for other cases? You refuse to understand why the island resents mainlanders... Within the last couple years the racial tensions have soared on that tiny island. Not even the bigger islands of St. Thomas or St. Croix has those issues. St John is considered the "white man island" for most cause that is where most go for honeymoons and vacations and retirements. Since this influx of "foreigners" or Americans they treat the locals as if they're nothing and talk to them any way. So excuse you (whoever you are) with your high and mighty statements going around oh if this and oh if that. Crime happens everywhere point blank. You said if they treated this case differently right....why? Because he is not one of our own? And you wonder why us locals have gotten defensive? Look at your comment and then tell us we shouldn't be defensive. The mentality alone is enough to piss any local off. Write my governor? For what? Waste of time because myself who is realistic knows there is corruption everywhere at all levels of the government and its agencies. Where were all of you touting this justice and corruption flag for the two black men that were killed in St. Thomas while down there for a friend's wedding? Exactly....

To the family: As a native Virgin Islander, I'm truly sorry to hear about Mr. Cockayne's death and I wish you all (the family) the best of luck in finding your son's killers cause as a born and raised St. Thomian it is not going to be easy one bit. Don't stop fighting, not because of how the case was handled but because he was your son, nephew, cousin, grandson and you owe it to him to get justice by all means.....

The minute something like this has happend, everyone always wants to paint a picture of how innocent the victim was. I didn'tknow Jaime, but I checked out his myspace, to see what kind of person lost his life. I found out that he was a lover of the ocean and boats, and I also found out that he fancies calling him self Capt. Cocaine!!! Hmmm I wonder about that!!!

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=52526396

And here is what a guy that lives in St. John had to say about an interaction with Jamie.

http://www.stjohntradewindsnews.com//index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1736&Itemid=47

Dear Mrs. Cockayne
and members of the St. John Community,

My name is Luke McCain and I have resided on St. John for four years now and resided with my mother in Tortola for years before I made my move to St. John. I am originally from Pennsylvania.
This crime was not a racial or hate crime.

Your son would get completely drunk and get into confrontations with people of every race. He came up to me and my friends one night and started yelling in our faces. I believe we did the right thing by ignoring him, but, alas, I had seen him in many confrontations throughout Cruz Bay, unfortunately.

In all the years I have been living down here I have never received a comment or been confronted about my race or anything else for that matter.

It is very unfortunate that he was murdered. But now the police are trying to arrest two innocent men. How do I know you ask? One of them is my roommate and the other is a friend.

After reading the police blogs and all the letters about this I am upset. I was home all that night and my roommate was home well before the murder and my friend was with fellow friends outside of Cruz Bay at the beach.

Investigations do take time, especially in a small place like this with an under tasked police force.
I am sorry for the grief you are undergoing and I am sure many other members of the community are as well. But please do not have innocent people put in jail.

Sincerely,
Luke McCain

Thank you Luke McCain...

Exactly my point.

How about broadcasting this Myspace page to the media...Huh?
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=52526396

We should go on a hunt to see what else the deceased had out there for the public to see....

"SORRY BUT YOU POST NEEDS RESPONDING TO..." your posting was EXTREMELY well-said and worded in its entirety!!!! You have touched on many points that I'm sure both locals and state-siders can relate to. It's now up to everyone to start thinking realistically and not racially, emotionally or based on their location. I believe we've now reached to the junction where we all have the same goal: for justice to be rightfully served, and Jamie to rest in peace.

Being a long time friend of Jamie's, I would like to make reference to not only his myspace page, but that of his brother's as well. Everytime Jamie introduced himself to strangers with his fullname, the person would always comment on if his last name was real or not. Don't believe me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPCiPbRvkZg

Did Jamie smoke? Yeah, but guess what, so does the majority of high school, college, and now middle school kids. Don't be so quick to jump the gun that Jamie was trying to become an up and coming drug lord in the virgin islands. His myspace name is merely a play on words...as is with his brothers.

And at the end of the day, what does that matter? An individual was killed. However you slice it or dice it, it was murder. Each person has options in life to succeed and flourish and Jamie's were cut short. We don't blame the people of the island--I think this message has been lost in the process. We're asking to be involved in the investigation, to be given the communication and knowledge to know that things are being done. We're asking for there to be progress, for things to not be mishandled--things promised to us by law.

And Luke McCain, if you believe so strongly in your statement and have the alibi to prove such, I expect you to be in trial with your own testimony. Go to the authorities with your story and evidence to prove such and THEN publicize it with letters written to the editor. Because so far, (as a pre-law and journalism student), all you have are your words. If this truly is the case and this kid IS innocent, then it needs to be proven so the real killers can be brought to justice.

I concur that we have lost sight of the main subject here, which is Jamie... not tarnishing or trashing his image; not looking for reasons to support why he should have been and had been killed; he was the victim of a brutal murder... The fact is that he was beaten and stabbed to death. Bringing his killers to justice will not bring him back, nor bring closeure to his family, because his death will be an open wound for them for the rest of their lives, but murder is against the law, unless it is deemed justifiable homicide, self defense. It was not a justifiable homicide; it was 1st degree murder, since the attack was premeditated. One of the suspects has already admitted to authorities that they chased Jamie with pieces of two by fours they picked up off the street, as they chased him. This suspect has a criminal history that is quite long. If Jamie had only not been alone, he may have had a decent chance. Only cowards would seek the impaired and the ones that are alone, where they know that they can basically do what they did to Jamie and run off without consequence...except that this time, someone has been rattling the cage so loudly, people have started to listen. Our culture has allowed and nurtured people like Kamal Thomas to be what he is. His chest pushed out; no respect for human life. When last have you heard a teenager on the islands say, "Good Morning, etc." It's gone; we no longer have the basic respect for others and ourselves, much less visitors.

I understand everything that you have written, but I have one point that I totally disagree with you on. I was born and raised in the Virgin Islands, for about 5 years I moved to the states, and went to and graduated from High School there. Every Morning I would get on the school bus, the first words to come out of my mouth were Good Morning, in the Afternoon it was Good Afternoon. I carried that culture with me to the states, me and my borther, and it was so amazing to me at first, how people looked at me in amazement, when I spoke those two tiny words. I was something that came natural to me, but I soon learn that it was not natural for many state side children. During my 5 years living in the states, I've met many adults who just "HAD" to stop me and ask where I was from because it was not common for them to meet a young person to have such manners. I left it as, my family and my island raised me right. Because here in the Viring Islands, a lot of us still live by the motto it takes a Village to Raise a Child. Let me repeat most, not all.

Now as an adult, I work in the area of town, and I am in town, most of everyday. I meet a lot of tourist on the street, and I never once have forgotten to tell someone Good Morning or Good Afternoon. Do you know what is the response I get 90% of the time, nothing a blank stare, like I am not there. A screwed up face, as to say, why is she speaking to me. Do I get offended, do I take it out on the next tourist I see, no I keep on going, because if there parents didn't teach them Manners and Respect, then that is ther business.

So I take offense when I hear someone say these teenagers or young adults (which I know u did not reference) have no respect and can't say Good Morning anymore.

I hope one day we can "ALL" go back to living by the motto "It takes a Village to Raise a Child". All not some not most, All.

Your friends were seen commiting the crime by TWO witnesses. Your friend "six pack" was charged with witness intimidation, as well as 1st degree murder; and God only knows what crime he had to commit to get thrown off of Tortola as a minor. He has so much respect for the court of law that he was forced to appear in this week that he had to be constantly reminded to sit still, keep his mouth shut and stay awake. Your buddy Anselmo "Selma" Boston is so afraid of facing the music that he has gone underground or simply fled the island. Ryan Meade, the one arrested and charged with witness intimidation, has a rap sheet a mile long; but the kangaroo courts in the usvi have dismissed the charges on every one of the DOZEN crimes that he was charged with commiting. Innocent victims of false accusations, or scumbags that need to be put away? You are either a liar, a fool, or both.

It's not just our culture that has allowed and nurtured Mr Thomas. It's society period. It's our country (yes America). The US government has yet to undertake a war on violence, a war on crime on its own soil as it has the war on terror. So many of these comments on here seem to be aimed at the island and not the murderers. Realistically corruption isn't going anywhere. It has been around for years. I know I still say good morning or afternoon or whatever. I live in Atlanta now but I was just home Carnival in April and people still had manners. I still hear children say morning and afternoon. Which I can't say for America and I've been to almost every state being prior military. The kids in Qatar and Afghanistan had more manners than a lot of the children I have come across in America. With the constant fights over religion in school and what not its no wonder things are the way they are now. Now this is totally off topic to the subject and is a completely different topic but I feel it needed to be addressed.....

btw they arrested the person that intimidated the witness. Hopefully this investigation isn't being botched more because America feels like pressure will work. Have you all seen what happens to the avg person under pressure? They make mistakes. Again for me it hasn't even been two months and the whole boycott the islands thing is being waved. Nonsense. This is no Natalee Holloway. She was missing. There was still hope. Jamie is dead and now its to find the killers.

And mr. pre-law you should understand that cases aren't built off of witnesses only. If they were to die today, what would happen to the case....please tell me. I'm born and raised in St. Thomas and I changed my major from law. But I haven't forgotten one bit how a case works.

Some of these hypocrites on here are being absolutely ridiculous. Go learn something about law before you come with your nonsense.

as a local, professional, and [i typically think] sensible young non-native st john local, i have a few major problems with the handling of this case by the media and the "family" that has blanketed the internet and newspapers with their spin. i feel, of course, for your loss, but do not appreciate or understand your overall hatred for, nor attempted punishment of, this island.

first, jamie was not a tourist. this is a small town. once you've been here for a few weeks, had a job, met the few dozen kids who are always out at the bars and the few dozen more who come out on the weekends, you live here. with a visit of a sheltered week, or two, perhaps, i may say you're a tourist. once you have been out often enough to get into arguments with "locals", and you've found the front yard bar as your after-midnight hangout, like it or not [family], you live here. mom and dad, did jamie tell you of his fight in the bar weeks before his murder? aaaand, you still approved of his drunken forays into the cruz bay bar scene after this? strange.

second, the kid arrested for the murder, while a local, was not a natively-born or raised virgin islander. as far as can be discerned, he was here for somewhere around a year, living with a relative. he was previously in tortola, in the BVIs [where he ran into trouble with the law], and before that, the super-safe streets of atlanta georgia. something tells me, that rather than learning his drug-dealing hood ways on st john, he has traveled through his short pitiful life with them, blessing all he comes into contact with.

my last point comes back to the family, and the reason this thread, and hundreds other like it in local vi papers as well as PA papers, exist. jamie's parents seem to thrive on the media attention. i can understand the letters to the VI governor, and initial complaints that they weren't kept up to date enough. perhaps they misunderstood how police investigations worked, and that the police never release suspects names to the families, and don't make arrests until they have enough information to have an arraignment and trial. [imagine if they released every [innocent and guilty] suspect's name to every murdered kid's family in LA.] but, once arrests were made, why is the family still courting cnn every day and still stretching truths to fit their perception of "reality"?? what are they looking for, book rights and a movie deal? arrests have been made. it's obvious that their claims of a cover-up, inability of local police to investigate a crime, and comments about police not meeting them are all LIES, so WHY are they on CNN again tonight? do the cockaynes have a camera addiction?

thanks,
an 8-year stj local

Things that make you go hmmmm....

I just had a friend tell me they are on Larry King Live. Let me guess to cry woe is us the case is being botched while two people have been arrested. Oh yeah let's not forget boycott St. John cause the government and the police of the Virgin Islands are corrupted but don't worry St. John this is not about you we love you *rolls eyes*.....

And you all wonder where the animosity is coming from? Nobody is saying to stop going to your beloved Philly now are there? When you all say boycott Philly because of its corruption and high crime rate then maybe it wouldn't be as bad but I have yet see one post saying boycott any city in the US or under the US flag that has corruption or high crime.....a whole lot less traveling would be going on wouldn't there? Maybe not being kept up to date enough is the major issue in which you still can't give out details as they happen. The family seems to give out details as it happens so whose to say they wouldn't have been giving out details if the police had told them something giving the murderer a heads up? What's being "botched" is the the reports being given to the media.

And yes the one arrested in connection with the murder is apparently an Atlanta, GA native who fled to the VI to escape his troubles in Atlanta. But my word he's in St. John and its all our fault. *rolls eyes again*

Just so you know it doesn't take much to get thrown out the BVI. Up to some year ago you wasn't allowed in if you had dreadlocks. And how many criminals you know that go turn themselves into the police after committing a crime? There goes the perfect world you people live in again. Kangaroo courts eh. Nice. I'm sorry the same can be said for a lot of US courts. Hey if six pack killed him yes he's a "scumbag" as you've endeared him. I'm not disagreeing but we'll see. Due process baby.

(and this is not the friend of the "alleged killer")

Spare us the youtube videos. Really, they're irrelevant. A play on words? Sorry, but when you read what he wrote under the music section of his page it makes you wonder. Just cause somebody plays on words doesn't mean it's not the truth. A lot of people do that knowing its the truth and they get a kick out of it. You're family is mishandling the media. Promised to you by law is the right to a fair trial. But you people have tried and found St. John guilty of a crime the island didn't commit but a person, not even a native islander, committed this crime. You say you don't blame the people of the island but the government includes people on the island.

(response to some other comments) This is not the governement's fault. And I think most other people already spoke when they talked about how investigations work. There was no corruption involve in this case so all the references to how our governement is corrupt need to cease. Corruption is everywhere and all over the US as well.

Being a long time friend of Jamie's, I would like to make reference to not only his myspace page, but that of his brother's as well. Everytime Jamie introduced himself to strangers with his fullname, the person would always comment on if his last name was real or not. Don't believe me?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPCiPbRvkZg

"And mr. pre-law you should understand that cases aren't built off of witnesses only. If they were to die today, what would happen to the case....please tell me. I'm born and raised in St. Thomas and I changed my major from law. But I haven't forgotten one bit how a case works."

As I am what you sir have called "mr. pre-law", maybe I need to clarify some things as they were not phrased correctly. I'm completely aware that cases aren't built off of witnesses only, hence me telling a certain Mr. Luke McCain that if he believes this so strongly he himself needs to prove with evidence that his friend was in fact with him on June 19th, rather than placing words on the internet and in the newspapers. Like I told him, they're stricly just words. And if this truly is the case then in the fairness of the judicial system the individuals who truly are guilty will be found and Mr. McCain's friend will be proven innocent. But since he has been so vocal online in touting that his friend is innocent and was never there, I believe that he should bring this to the authorities and stop hiding in the shadows of print media in order to prove his friends innocence.

Also, as a side note statements released by the Cockayne's have explicitly stated that they do not want to boycott the island. This is an idea/concept that has been created through online bloggers and other people outraged at the events that have transpired. Therefore, before such accusations towards the family in that regard, please remember where the source of such fire is coming from.

Further, we have to remember too that the USVI are still territories of America--meaning the governments, though similar to that of the mainland, still maintain their differences. USVI residents aren't allowed to vote in Presidential Elections. I'm not saying that's good or bad, but I do want to point out there are some differences that most people aren't aware of which need to be taken into consideration.

Jamie's myspace music? Google that and turns out it's a song lyric by a rap artist called Big L. People do that all the time. Does everyone who listens to rappers sing and write lyrics about cocaine automatically doing it?

I think not.

I am a Virgin Islander and I am also a reporter for one of the local media outlets in the territory. While I was not the reporter who handled the Cockayne murder case, I have covered other murder investigations and I will be the first to admit that the Virgin Islands police department has its issues -- shortage of officers, mishandled cases, corruption -- none of these problems are new to the department. Many have pledged to rectify them and many have failed. A new administration is in place and while we are eight months into this new administration, much of the residents are giving the government and the department a chance to clean up years of built-up problems. Needless to say, there is much work left to be done.
I have watched the national media reports and the one thing that is not being made clear is just how small a community the Virgin Islands really is and the culture of its people. Only if you have lived here, could you understand, but I will try to explain.

When something as tragic as a homicide occurs in the VI, everyone feels it. Word spreads among locals before reports hit the media outlets. The community is small and everyone knows everybody. If you don't know the victim, chances are, you know someone who does. On the other side, there are persons who witness these acts and are afraid to come forward because of mistrust of the police or for fear of their own lives. This response comes from the years of corruption and instances of witnesses being intimidated, threatened or killed for coming forward.
I understand why the department is reluctant to release details of what happened that night. Try to understand that with a community this small, people talk and rumors spread very quickly. The only way for investigators to discern who is a credible witness from one who is not, is to leave certain information out of the press. As reporters, we complain about the bare bones details often handed to us, but when the trial finally comes around, it is then that we see why so little information is released.

The entire situation with the Cockayne family could have been handled much better. The police brass should have met with the family personally and assured them that they were doing everything possible to bring their son's killers to justice.
Despite what has been said and reported in national news, I feel the VIPD is capable of solving this crime and bringing all of James Cockayne's killers to justice and FBI assistance is not needed.
I understand their need to take their time and to build a strong and airtight case. Other murder cases have been bungled in the past, false arrests have been made and the VIPD does not want to repeat those mistakes.

I know you asking how a community that is so close-knit, could allow the few criminals to take control. I ask myself that question everyday. We should all be taking to the streets every time a child is raped, a young man is gunned down in the streets or a grandfather is robbed at gunpoint. At times, we have taken to the streets in protest and challenged the police and the government, but not enough. As journalists, we press for answers and action, but we are met with the same responses: "The investigation is continuing." Sometimes, police make an arrest. Sometimes the cases go unsolved.
There is so much more beneath the surface that CNN, FOX or any of the other national media outlets have yet to scratch or even comprehend.

What has disturbed me also in the media reports is the "shock" that such a tragedy could happen on the peaceful island of St. John. Yes, this is paradise, but it is also the real world. Often people who visit our shores let go all inhibitions and sadly, let their guards down. I have traveled and lived in the U.S. I have also traveled to Europe and at no time have I EVER let my guard down. Yes I have a good time, but I watch my back, lock my doors and respect others and respect myself no matter what city, state or country I visit. This is just common sense. Crime happens everywhere. There is no excuse for what happened to James and I am not saying that he did anything to deserve being savagely murdered. It was tragic, his death should not have happened and my deepest condolences go out to his family and friends. But it is unfair to characterize the Virgin Islands as a place where crime should not happen and tourists should be free to let their guards down. Just like every city in the US mainland, we have illegal drugs, teen pregnancy, underage drinking, child abuse, domestic violence, illiteracy, rape, poverty, and the list goes on.

Where was the national media earlier this year when a 17-year-old girl was held captive for five months, where she was raped, starved and locked up with animals? Where was the national media when a 12-year-old girl was kidnapped, murdered and mutilated by her captor? But a tourist is killed and suddenly all eyes are on us. Tell me, is that fair?

I am the one that originally posted the letter from Mr. McChain. I do not know him, or do I have anything to do with him. It was a post that I found on another newspaper's website. If you noticed I put the link to his post right above his letter. I put his letter in my post to show, what is being said around the net. People are saying that Jamie, would get into confrontations with many different people. No what what race! So to make it seem like he was just innocent kid that never got into trouble, then that is a lie. Word is, that he was involved in drugs down here, and that he got into a lot of trouble in the little bit of time he was on St. John.

I am the one that originally posted the letter from Mr. McChain. I do not know him, or do I have anything to do with him. It was a post that I found on another newspaper's website. If you noticed I put the link to his post right above his letter. I put his letter in my post to show, what is being said around the net. People are saying that Jamie, would get into confrontations with many different people. No what what race! So to make it seem like he was just innocent kid that never got into trouble, then that is a lie. Word is, that he was involved in drugs down here, and that he got into a lot of trouble in the little bit of time he was on St. John.

I am the one that posted the letter from Mr. McCain. I don't think that he has ever been to this blog, or knows about it. If you didn't notice before I posted the link to his open letter right above his post. The key thing I wanted to get across from his post is that he stated, that he was aproached by Jamie, and Jamie didn't come to him in a sweet and kind way. He didn't react to Jamie and simply walked away. It didn't matter what race, but it seems like Jamie just would get drunk and act a fool.

Just like how the cnn fox and the others are probing into this case, I was just simply looking at the kind of person Jamie was. To find out if this just happend to him for no reason, or if he had a prior incident with his killer. I have heard talk, on the net, about Jamie being a trouble maker. And when I read Mr. McCain post I said "maybe" there is some truth to this. "Maybe" he's not the sweet innocent "tourist" (cause I don't consider him to be one) that everyone is making him out to be. To Jamie's mother, maybe there "is" a reason the police has kept asking you who were his friends, his associates. Coroperate with them for a chance and answer those questions.

I would also like to point out that, I've been on other blogs where people are condeming people of the Virgin Islands, because they assumed the killer was from St. John, and now we find out that he wasn't even from there.