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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=1 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><SPAN class=TopStory>Picture (not) perfect</SPAN>
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Photographer says cops, security guards abused and arrested him because he took a photo of new US Embassy</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KIMONE THOMPSON Sunday Observer staff reporter
Sunday, December 10, 2006
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<P class=StoryText align=justify>A 59-year-old freelance photographer, who said he was taking pictures of the new US Embassy building in Liguanea, St Andrew for job-related purposes, was arrested and charged by the police with resisting arrest, possession of an offensive weapon and assaulting a police officer, three charges, he claimed, were "ridiculous and unfair".<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=135 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Hamilton. I feel very annoyed and disappointed to know that a situation like this can happen to me in Jamaica </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Errol Hamilton told the Sunday Observer that he snapped two pictures of the newly-constructed building but that security guards stationed at the embassy and a policewoman who was in their company, confiscated his camera, "manhandled" him and took him to the Matilda's Corner Police Station where he was arrested and the charges laid against him.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It is a general practice of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, effected on a case-by-case basis, to have local cops boost diplomatic security forces.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The police, however, told a different story to Hamilton's. According to the cops, Hamilton was seen running from the embassy building in the wee hours of November 17 and was pursued by a team of security guards employed to Florida-based firm Wackenhut, but he managed to elude them.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The police said the description of the man was passed on to another team which, a short while later, intercepted Hamilton "trying to hide behind a tree" on Blue Castle Drive in the Kingston 6 area.<P class=StoryText align=justify>When the sole cop in the group, Woman Constable D Thomas of the Mobile Reserve, attempted to apprehend the suspect, he resisted, but with the help of the security guards he was restrained. A silver flash knife was allegedly taken from him and he was subsequently arrested and charged.
However, Hamilton's version of the sequence of events varied from that of the cops.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He said he was riding home at about 1:30 on the morning of November 17 when upon reaching the new embassy building, he decided to capture it on film for job-related purposes. After doing so, he said he noticed an SUV trailing him and motioned for it to pass but was surprised when men pulling guns and demanding his camera jumped out of the vehicle which had skidded to a halt in front of him, blocking his way.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=330 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>A section of the unfinished new embassy building of the United States in Liguanea, St Andrew. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>"I refused their request," he said, "and told them they had no legal right. I introduced myself [but] they told me to get off my bike, put my hands over my head and get ready to be searched."
Hamilton said he was saved by some loud-talking Rastafarians on the other side of the road who engaged the security personnel in a verbal confrontation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In the heat of the argument, he rode away and headed home but as soon as he got to Blue Castle D
<SPAN class=Subheadline>Photographer says cops, security guards abused and arrested him because he took a photo of new US Embassy</SPAN></TD></TR><TR><TD>BY KIMONE THOMPSON Sunday Observer staff reporter
Sunday, December 10, 2006
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<P class=StoryText align=justify>A 59-year-old freelance photographer, who said he was taking pictures of the new US Embassy building in Liguanea, St Andrew for job-related purposes, was arrested and charged by the police with resisting arrest, possession of an offensive weapon and assaulting a police officer, three charges, he claimed, were "ridiculous and unfair".<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=135 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>Hamilton. I feel very annoyed and disappointed to know that a situation like this can happen to me in Jamaica </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>Errol Hamilton told the Sunday Observer that he snapped two pictures of the newly-constructed building but that security guards stationed at the embassy and a policewoman who was in their company, confiscated his camera, "manhandled" him and took him to the Matilda's Corner Police Station where he was arrested and the charges laid against him.<P class=StoryText align=justify>It is a general practice of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, effected on a case-by-case basis, to have local cops boost diplomatic security forces.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The police, however, told a different story to Hamilton's. According to the cops, Hamilton was seen running from the embassy building in the wee hours of November 17 and was pursued by a team of security guards employed to Florida-based firm Wackenhut, but he managed to elude them.<P class=StoryText align=justify>The police said the description of the man was passed on to another team which, a short while later, intercepted Hamilton "trying to hide behind a tree" on Blue Castle Drive in the Kingston 6 area.<P class=StoryText align=justify>When the sole cop in the group, Woman Constable D Thomas of the Mobile Reserve, attempted to apprehend the suspect, he resisted, but with the help of the security guards he was restrained. A silver flash knife was allegedly taken from him and he was subsequently arrested and charged.However, Hamilton's version of the sequence of events varied from that of the cops.<P class=StoryText align=justify>He said he was riding home at about 1:30 on the morning of November 17 when upon reaching the new embassy building, he decided to capture it on film for job-related purposes. After doing so, he said he noticed an SUV trailing him and motioned for it to pass but was surprised when men pulling guns and demanding his camera jumped out of the vehicle which had skidded to a halt in front of him, blocking his way.<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width=330 align=center border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR><TD><SPAN class=Description>A section of the unfinished new embassy building of the United States in Liguanea, St Andrew. </SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><P class=StoryText align=justify>"I refused their request," he said, "and told them they had no legal right. I introduced myself [but] they told me to get off my bike, put my hands over my head and get ready to be searched."Hamilton said he was saved by some loud-talking Rastafarians on the other side of the road who engaged the security personnel in a verbal confrontation.<P class=StoryText align=justify>In the heat of the argument, he rode away and headed home but as soon as he got to Blue Castle D