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Posted: 5/15/2009 8:16:52 AM
A woman who was arrested in March two years ago and charged with beating a police Corporal during a brawl at the Waterford Police Station, Portmore, St Catherine was freed in the Spanish Town Criminal Court on Tuesday, after the cop failed to turn up in court for the sixth consecutive time during the 14 mention dates.
Fifty-year-old higgler Marcia Amos, of Portmore, St Catherine was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, indecent exposure, obstructing police, indecent language and resisting arrest after she allegedly thrashed the corporal on the station compound without warning.
When the matter came before Senior St Catherine Resident Magistrate Marcia Dunbar-Green, the arresting officer corporal Ronald Thompson, was absent.
The Clerk of courts told the court that Thompson, who had now been absent for the sixth consecutive trial dates, was now on suspension from the Force and was also involved in an external matter. The clerk said the cop was not in court on the last occasion in February and pointed out that the accused who was not represented had always been present in court.
“You know..I can’t understand what should hold up this case for two years. This is unfair to the accused. To make matters worse the officer is not here in court today. He (police) has been absent on six occasions and there is no notation of any excuse from him on the file. How can we treat people like that? We are here to dispense justice. (but) Having this matter in court for two years without trial does not sound anything like justice to me,” submitted the visibly angry RM.
Dunbar-Green then looked at Amos and said, “Case dismissed. No police in court. Mam you may go.”
Posted: 5/15/2009 8:16:52 AM
A woman who was arrested in March two years ago and charged with beating a police Corporal during a brawl at the Waterford Police Station, Portmore, St Catherine was freed in the Spanish Town Criminal Court on Tuesday, after the cop failed to turn up in court for the sixth consecutive time during the 14 mention dates.
Fifty-year-old higgler Marcia Amos, of Portmore, St Catherine was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, indecent exposure, obstructing police, indecent language and resisting arrest after she allegedly thrashed the corporal on the station compound without warning.
When the matter came before Senior St Catherine Resident Magistrate Marcia Dunbar-Green, the arresting officer corporal Ronald Thompson, was absent.
The Clerk of courts told the court that Thompson, who had now been absent for the sixth consecutive trial dates, was now on suspension from the Force and was also involved in an external matter. The clerk said the cop was not in court on the last occasion in February and pointed out that the accused who was not represented had always been present in court.
“You know..I can’t understand what should hold up this case for two years. This is unfair to the accused. To make matters worse the officer is not here in court today. He (police) has been absent on six occasions and there is no notation of any excuse from him on the file. How can we treat people like that? We are here to dispense justice. (but) Having this matter in court for two years without trial does not sound anything like justice to me,” submitted the visibly angry RM.
Dunbar-Green then looked at Amos and said, “Case dismissed. No police in court. Mam you may go.”
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