MANCHESTER, Jamaica — ‎The prosecution is contending that there was a history of abuse in the relationship that ended with a husband, along with two cops, being charged with the suspected contract murder of his wife.

The prosecution made the assertion Friday in the Mandeville Resident Magistrate’s Court, citing a previous case in which the husband, Vincent Coleman, had been charged with assaulting his wife, Norma Henry Coleman.

The couple was in court in July but the case was eventually dropped.

The prosecution said that there was a history of abuse in the relationship that culminated with Henry Coleman’s murder.

Constables ‎Leroy Curtis and Denrick Thomas were charged this week with conspiracy to murder while Coleman has been charged with murder.

Henry Coleman, a businesswoman of Begonia Drive, was shot dead while driving in Mandeville on Friday, October 23.

Investigators believe that her killers were paid J$1 million to commit the act.

On Friday, all three accused were remanded in police custody until November 23.

Attorney Peter Champagnie said in court that he would be making a bail application on Coleman’s behalf.

Champagnie also expressed concerns for the safety of his client due to the behaviour and chants of some in the huge crowd that converged in the court on Friday.

The sitting magistrate reportedly ordered Coleman held at a jail outside the parish pending his next court date.

The accused had to be escorted into court under heavy police-military guard.

Some in the crowd threatened that Coleman would not get away from them. Champagnie had to be escorted on the premises by the police after he was pointed out and his vehicle approached by some in the crowd.

Paul Henry