Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

KING

The videotapes collected by the police from the house of 64-year-old Ambassador Peter King during the investigation into his murder are to be handed over to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on September 20.

Resident Magistrate Vaughn Facey made the order yesterday following an application made by defence lawyers Berrie Bryan and Vincent Wellesley, who are representing 23-year-old Sheldon Pusey.

Pusey, who is charged with King's murder, is claiming he acted in self-defence after King made sexual advances at him.

The defence lawyers said in law, they were entitled to the tapes. They said the tapes were important to the defence because there was the possibility that the killer or killers might be on the tape. They said Pusey said he stabbed King, but there were also several chops on the body.

The lawyers made the request based on a statement given by a 19-year-old Crown witness. The witness said he knew King was in the habit of using a digital camera to take pictures of sexual acts carried out at his home, storing them on his computer.

RM Facey directed that Senior Superintendent Devon Watkiss be subpoenaed to take the tapes to court.

In custody since February

Pusey has been in custody since February 24, when he was arrested by police in Oracabessa, St.Mary. He was charged by the police on March 16.

King, who was a respected member of Jamaica's trade sector for over 40 years, was stabbed several times and his throat slashed.

King's nude, mutilated body was discovered in the bedroom of his apartment at Waterloo Avenue, St. Andrew, by a member of his consultancy firm on March 20, last year. King had hosted a party at his home the previous evening.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com