A 32-year-old salesman accused of raping a woman in his car at the back of a Kingston high school, is to reappear in the Home Circuit Court today.

The salesman, Jeffery Jones, of Kingston 6, who was shot by gunmen while in the car with the woman, was told to finalise legal representation when he appeared in court recently for the alleged rape in January 2004 at the back of the Norman Manley High School.
Allegations are that the victim was heading home from work in St Catherine, around 10:00 pm on January 22, when Jones offered her a lift to Three Miles.

Jones allegedly drove past Three Miles, and when questioned by the complainant said that he was going to pick up someone in the Richmond Park area. The victim never protested as she lived in the Richmond Park area and thought that she could get a drive to her home, according to court documents.

However, to her horror, she was allegedly driven to an open lot at the back of the school where she was questioned, allegedly robbed and told to remove her underwear or she would be taken elsewhere and gang-raped.

During the alleged rape, men from the area went to see what was going on in the vehicle and started firing shots, allegedly hitting Jones, who was arrested at the Kingston Public Hospital where he went for treatment after letting off his alleged victim at a nearby community.

Jones - who is also charged in another rape matter for which he is to stand trial on January 15, 2007 - was arrested after facing an identification parade.

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Off-duty cop kills bus robber

A man who attempted to rob a policeman on a JUTC bus was fatally shot on Orange Street, downtown Kingston yesterday morning.

The dead man has been identified as Kirk Palmer, 39, of Torrington Park, Kingston 5.

The police reported that about 7:30 am, the policeman was on the bus when Palmer held him up with a knife and attempted to rob the lawman of an item of jewellery and money.
"A struggle ensued, during which the policeman managed to pull his firearm and Palmer was shot. He died on the spot," said the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN), the police's information arm.

Three passengers who were injured in the incident were taken to hospital for treatment.
The CCN said the police's Bureau of Special Investigations has commenced an inquiry into the incident.

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