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Drama as Dr Ford appears in court
T K WHYTE, St Catherine correspondent
Thursday, April 26, 2007
An Observer file photo of Dr Ford following his release from hospital. SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine - Former People's National Party candidate Dr Jephthah Ford yesterday had his $100,000 bail extended when he appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court to answer charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, shooting with intent, assaulting police and resisting arrest.
Ford, who wore a bandage on his forehead, told the court he was still in pains and was allowed to sit in the prisoners dock instead of standing.
Senior St Catherine resident magistrate Lorna Errar Gayle, after hearing that the file in the case was not completed as ballistic report and some police statements were outstanding, transferred the case to the Gun Court, Kingston, for mention on June 1, and ordered that the medical doctor's fingerprints be taken.
But there was high drama after Ford left the courtroom yesterday.
While he was being fingerprinted, his sister, Andrea, attempted to take a picture of the arresting officer Doderick Henry, but was not allowed to as Henry and other officers, all armed, were adamant no photographs be allowed to be taken.
". He was standing beside a patrol car with two others policemen sitting in the car. He said no you can't (take photograph). They came out of the car with M16 guns. I was in fear of my life and I rushed back into the court house and stayed until it was safe to come back out," Andrea said.
Kendel Ford, a brother, said policemen who were in Henry's company threatened to confiscate his sister's camera and throw it away. "They were getting nasty, so I told my sister to move away. There were two more policemen in the car who came out with their M16 and cranked them," Kendel said.
An officer from the constabulary's Professional Standards Branch (PSB), Detective Sergeant Leonard Morris, who witnessed the conduct of the police, said he immediately reported the incident to Superintendent Dalton Henry of the PSB, who instructed that statements be collected from witnesses to begin an investigation into the matter.
Morris said about 11:00 am he was standing in front of the court house when Andrea Ford tried to take a picture of Inspector Henry going into a patrol car.
"The two other policemen in the car shouted, you can't do that I will take it (camera) away and mash it up. Henry took out the M16 from the car, put it across his shoulder and walked to the gate of the court house then went back to the car and said 'a gun shot, a gun shot, me no fraid a uno, a gun shot' and went back in the car," Morris told reporters.
"I told him to forget it and he went in the car and drove away. His action, especially in the crowd and in the precinct of the court was a bit intimidating and it was totally unacceptable," Sergeant Morris said.
But the drama did not end there.
Ford, after having his fingerprints taken, collapsed outside the court and had to be treated by his brother Japheth, also a medical doctor, who then whisked him away in a car.
The prominent medical doctor was arrested on Easter Monday following an altercation with the police at his Fun City Complex, Port Henderson, St Catherine. He was then taken to the Greater Portmore Police Station where he was allegedly beaten by the police. He was hospitalised for one week.
Inspector Henry of Kingston Central Police Station told the court that on the night of April 9, he attended a function at the Fun City Complex when he was asked to assist at the gate as there was some irregularities there. He said that when he went to the gate he saw Ford holding a constable by the neck, pinned him to a wall and was punching him in the face. He said Ford's sister Andrea was also beating the constable.
"I told Dr Ford, who I knew for 30 years, to take it easy but he punched me in the face and pulled his gun and I heard explosions. He pointed the gun at me and said, uno think me fraid of uno police boy," Henry testified. He said during the tussle the policeman's gun fell and Ford and his entourage tried to take away the constable's gun, while raining blows all over his body. "I saw all three, Dr Ford and two other men fighting to get the policeman's gun," Henry told the court.
He said Ford and his men then moved into the complex when a group of men in plain clothes jumped over a wall and began beating Ford with batons and he fell to the ground and was resisting the police who wanted to arrest him.
"Dr Ford was eventually held, handcuffed and taken to the Portmore police station where he was arrested and charged and subsequently taken to the Spanish Town hospital," Henry said.
Ford is being represented by attorneys Norma Linton QC, Patrick Bailey and Mardriana Shaw.
T K WHYTE, St Catherine correspondent
Thursday, April 26, 2007
An Observer file photo of Dr Ford following his release from hospital. SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine - Former People's National Party candidate Dr Jephthah Ford yesterday had his $100,000 bail extended when he appeared in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court to answer charges of illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, shooting with intent, assaulting police and resisting arrest.Ford, who wore a bandage on his forehead, told the court he was still in pains and was allowed to sit in the prisoners dock instead of standing.
Senior St Catherine resident magistrate Lorna Errar Gayle, after hearing that the file in the case was not completed as ballistic report and some police statements were outstanding, transferred the case to the Gun Court, Kingston, for mention on June 1, and ordered that the medical doctor's fingerprints be taken.
But there was high drama after Ford left the courtroom yesterday.
While he was being fingerprinted, his sister, Andrea, attempted to take a picture of the arresting officer Doderick Henry, but was not allowed to as Henry and other officers, all armed, were adamant no photographs be allowed to be taken.
". He was standing beside a patrol car with two others policemen sitting in the car. He said no you can't (take photograph). They came out of the car with M16 guns. I was in fear of my life and I rushed back into the court house and stayed until it was safe to come back out," Andrea said.
Kendel Ford, a brother, said policemen who were in Henry's company threatened to confiscate his sister's camera and throw it away. "They were getting nasty, so I told my sister to move away. There were two more policemen in the car who came out with their M16 and cranked them," Kendel said.
An officer from the constabulary's Professional Standards Branch (PSB), Detective Sergeant Leonard Morris, who witnessed the conduct of the police, said he immediately reported the incident to Superintendent Dalton Henry of the PSB, who instructed that statements be collected from witnesses to begin an investigation into the matter.
Morris said about 11:00 am he was standing in front of the court house when Andrea Ford tried to take a picture of Inspector Henry going into a patrol car.
"The two other policemen in the car shouted, you can't do that I will take it (camera) away and mash it up. Henry took out the M16 from the car, put it across his shoulder and walked to the gate of the court house then went back to the car and said 'a gun shot, a gun shot, me no fraid a uno, a gun shot' and went back in the car," Morris told reporters.
"I told him to forget it and he went in the car and drove away. His action, especially in the crowd and in the precinct of the court was a bit intimidating and it was totally unacceptable," Sergeant Morris said.
But the drama did not end there.
Ford, after having his fingerprints taken, collapsed outside the court and had to be treated by his brother Japheth, also a medical doctor, who then whisked him away in a car.
The prominent medical doctor was arrested on Easter Monday following an altercation with the police at his Fun City Complex, Port Henderson, St Catherine. He was then taken to the Greater Portmore Police Station where he was allegedly beaten by the police. He was hospitalised for one week.
Inspector Henry of Kingston Central Police Station told the court that on the night of April 9, he attended a function at the Fun City Complex when he was asked to assist at the gate as there was some irregularities there. He said that when he went to the gate he saw Ford holding a constable by the neck, pinned him to a wall and was punching him in the face. He said Ford's sister Andrea was also beating the constable.
"I told Dr Ford, who I knew for 30 years, to take it easy but he punched me in the face and pulled his gun and I heard explosions. He pointed the gun at me and said, uno think me fraid of uno police boy," Henry testified. He said during the tussle the policeman's gun fell and Ford and his entourage tried to take away the constable's gun, while raining blows all over his body. "I saw all three, Dr Ford and two other men fighting to get the policeman's gun," Henry told the court.
He said Ford and his men then moved into the complex when a group of men in plain clothes jumped over a wall and began beating Ford with batons and he fell to the ground and was resisting the police who wanted to arrest him.
"Dr Ford was eventually held, handcuffed and taken to the Portmore police station where he was arrested and charged and subsequently taken to the Spanish Town hospital," Henry said.
Ford is being represented by attorneys Norma Linton QC, Patrick Bailey and Mardriana Shaw.
