The 20-year-old man charged with murdering prison superintendent David Millette claimed yesterday that he has received death threats from prisons officers.
Speaking through his lawyer Criston J Williams after appearing in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates Court yesterday afternoon, Sean “Devil” Coa claimed that the threats were sent through his relatives while he was in police custody over the past week.
“My instructions are that his relatives were told that prison officers were eagerly awaiting his arrival in prison,” Williams said, as he called upon Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar to intervene to ensure his client’s safety while on remand.
Without giving any details of the alleged threats, Williams said that his client did not want to be sent to the Golden Grove State Prison in Arouca, from where he believed the threats had emanated.
In response, police prosecutor Insp Winston Dillon said that Coa had nothing to fear as “Prison Service had measures in place to ensure the safety of all persons under their care.”
Ayers-Caesar did not appear convinced by Dillon’s assurance as she made a note of Coa’s complaint and ruled that he should not be sent to the Arouca facility.
Coa is accused, together with a group of unknown people, of murdering Millette on November 2. Millette, who had more than 20 years service, was shot dead as he was entering his car in front of his Cipriani Avenue, Second Caledonia, home. He was on the first day of his vacation leave.
Coa, who surrendered to police a day after Millette’s murder, was also charged with being in possession of an illegal gun and ammunition and possession of the illegal items with intent to endanger life.
A stony-faced Coa stood silently in the prisoner’s enclosure of the court as the charges were read.
Moments before his court appearance, Coa made an obscene gesture towards media personnel as he was being led into the St Vincent Street courthouse.
Coa, whose hands were handcuffed in front of him, extended his middle finger and maintained the gesture until he entered the building. None of Coa’s relatives were in court for the brief hearing.
In addition to the special security measures, Williams also requested that prosecutors disclose the evidence against his client as soon as possible to ensure the speedy start of his case.
In particular, Williams requested the results of forensic tests performed on spent shells found at the scene of Millette’s murder.
“The results may implicate or exonerate the accused,” Williams said, as he also requested that investigators disclose whether an illegal firearm was seized and would be used as evidence.
Coa will reappear in court on December 10.