Silver Pen awardees: Silver Pen award winner Reverend Father Kenneth Richards receives his plaque from Gleaner Editor-in-Chief Garfield Grandison on Thursday. - Photos by Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer
Disappointed that Detective Constable Carey Lyn-Sue's colleagues were lambasting him for confessing that he had fabricate evidence in a murder case, the Reverend Father Kenneth Richards penned a letter to The Gleaner, earning him the prestigious Silver Pen award.
Each month, The Gleaner presents a Silver Pen Award to a writer of the Letter Of The Day.
Lyn-Sue, who was suspended from duty following his admission, came under fire from some of his colleagues who branded him a traitor for his confession. The confession, it was thought, could impact the careers of other policemen who were involved in the case in question.
Reaction to confession
"There is annoyance that Lyn-Sue acted in contravention of the secret pact which required that no one backtrack from a contrived storyline, regardless of the consequences," read Rev Father Richards' letter, which was published January 25. The letter was titled 'Reaction to confession does even more damage'.
He continued: "This sentiment acknowledges that some law officers who are sworn to uphold the law are willing to conspire to act in contravention of the law and believe this is acceptable behaviour in spite of the unethical and unjust consequence."
After being presented with the Silver Pen award on Thursday, Richards told The Gleaner that Lyn-Sue's colleague's statement could make it difficult for persons wanting to confess to so do.
He noted that confession is something to be promoted and encouraged.
"It was the right move in light of the fact that we want transparency and justice in our land," said Richards, who is the rector at Holy Trinity Cathedral, Kingston.
He said he was surprised that his letter was Letter of the Day and that it subsequently won the Silver Pen award.
