NASSAU| FOURTEEN officers have been summoned to appear in court for a committal hearing on Wednesday in killing cases that prompted adverse inquest findings since May 2023 — including an officer involved in three separate killings, and those involved in the Azario Major case.
No charges have been filed against the officers. The committal hearings are expected to inform the officers that the files are being sent to the Supreme Court for possible charges.
Coroner Kara Turnquest initially issued arrest warrants for the officers but later dismissed the order after petition from defense lawyer K Melvin Munroe.
For his part, Munroe said some of his clients had yet to receive summons for these matters.
Coroner Turnquest granted his request, but noted it was the police commissioner’s responsibility to inform officers.
The coroner’s action comes a week after National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said neither the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions nor the commissioner of police is involved in determining the fate of officers in such cases, suggesting that responsibility lies with the judiciary.
The officers are connected to the police-involved killings of Deangelo Evans; Shenton Forbes; Azario Major; Harold Brown and Richard Bastian; Valentino Johnson; Gino Finley Jr; Elroy Stubbs and Ernest Forest.
Section 34A 1 and 2 of the Coroner’s Act states that “where a verdict or finding of homicide is returned against any person, the coroner shall forthwith make out his warrant for his committal for trial before the Supreme Court and thereupon such person, if then present, shall forthwith be taken and conveyed to the prison, or, if absent, may be apprehended under warrant and conveyed as aforesaid.”
It continues: “Where a verdict or finding of homicide other than murder is returned against any person, the coroner before or by whom the inquest or inquiry is taken may accept bail, if he thinks fit, with good and sufficient sureties for the appearance of the person so charged before the Supreme Court aforesaid and also before any magistrate if summoned by the latter and thereupon such person, if in custody, shall be discharged therefrom.”
