WESTERN BUREAU:
DEPUTY LEADER of the Jamaica Labour Party, Dr. Horace Chang, has renewed the party's call for an independent authority to investigate controversial police killings.
Reacting to the acquittal of four policemen charged with the murder of two senior citizens in Flankers, St. James, on October 25, 2003, Dr. Chang said the verdict again raised questions about the police investigating itself.
"While the verdict may or may not be correct, the people will not believe that justice was done. I don't think anyone in Flankers thinks it was fair or reasonably handled," he said.
Special Constable Metro McFarlane and constables Kadian Smith, Donald Thomas and Kevin Williams were freed on Thursday after being on trial in the Home Circuit Court for five weeks for the murders of David Bacchas, 63, and 65-year-old newspaper vendor and chef, Cecil Brown.
LINE OF FIRE
Policemen, including Superintendent Derrick 'Cowboy' Knight and Superintendent Terrence Sancko who testified for the Crown, said that when the police party went to the Red Dirt area of Flankers about 3.30 a.m., gunmen fired at the police party and the police returned the fire.
They said that the motor car in which the two deceased and survivor Audrey Stephens were travelling drove into the line of fire. They said they had gone to the area with a warrant for Christopher Hyman who was wanted for murder. They said two firearms and ammunition were recovered at the crime scene that morning.
Dr. Chang continued: "Once the people lose faith in the justice system there will be anarchy. There is no one in Flankers who is convinced that justice was served. I would not seek to challenge the verdict, but I challenge the process. It raises too many questions."
He commented that in the interest of the police, an independent authority must be put in place to investigate the force and to convey to citizens that justice is being upheld.
Parliament last year passed legislation to establish a civilian oversight authority to monitor the operations of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and its auxiliaries.
Security Minister Dr. Peter Phillips said that, despite the current provision for an inspectorate to monitor the performance of the JCF in the Constabulary Force Act, the desired effect had yet to materialise.
The new oversight authority will be external to the force in order to ensure accountability, adherence to policy guidelines and observance of proper police standards by the force.
