标签： Jamaica

A high-profile Jamaican gang trial took a dramatic turn this week as a defendant accused of being a driver for the Tesha Miller faction of the Klansman Gang made explosive allegations against police officers. BJourn Thomas testified before the Home Circuit Division of the Supreme Court in downtown Kingston that members of the now-disbanded Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Investigation Branch (C-TOC) subjected him to brutal treatment during his arrest in March 2023.

Thomas claimed that officers forced him to kneel beside the body of his fatally shot friend while issuing death threats and homophobic slurs. According to his statement, read into court record by an investigator from the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom), the incident occurred during a police operation in North Avenue, Spanish Town, on March 5, 2023.

The defendant described being physically assaulted at the scene, sustaining a head injury from being struck with a water bottle and his foot being hit with a firearm. In a particularly unusual detail, Thomas alleged that the entire police team temporarily abandoned the scene to purchase ice cream from a passing truck before transporting him to custody.

These allegations directly contradict earlier testimony from a detective corporal who stated he shot Thomas’s acquaintance during a confrontation after the man raised a firearm. The defense team has aggressively challenged this narrative, accusing the detective—a skilled marksman with over 10 fatal shootings to his record—of executing the man in cold blood and then using intimidation tactics to coerce a star witness into fabricating evidence.

The Indecom investigator’s testimony inadvertently undermined Thomas’s account regarding surveillance cameras preventing his execution, as she confirmed no cameras were present on the premises and no video evidence was reviewed. However, she did corroborate that the prosecution’s star witness appeared “very distraught” and fearful during interviews, though she provided no specific details due to prosecution objections.

The trial, involving 25 alleged gang members facing 16 offenses allegedly committed between 2017 and 2022, continues before Supreme Court Justice Dale Palmer. This case represents the second faction of the Klansman Gang to be prosecuted through Jamaica’s judicial system.

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A profoundly emotional courtroom scene unfolded Tuesday as a 24-year-old woman with longstanding mental health challenges was remanded for psychiatric assessment after pleading to unlawfully wounding her own mother.

The defendant, whose identity remains protected, appeared before Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, where proceedings were repeatedly interrupted by emotional outbursts. When questioned by Judge Burrell about her presence in court, the young woman openly acknowledged, ‘Because mi stab mi mother,’ before immediately adding in a remorseful tone, ‘But mi neva stab her fi spite.’

The complainant, who is the defendant’s mother, appealed to the court for mental health intervention rather than punishment, revealing her daughter had exhibited psychological disturbances since age 10 and discontinued formal education at 16. Though specific diagnosis details weren’t disclosed, the mother emphasized her daughter’s documented mental health condition.

The courtroom atmosphere grew increasingly tense as the defendant tearfully begged her mother for forgiveness, crying out, ‘Mommy mi neva mean to stab you.’ The emotional exchange moved spectators and law enforcement personnel to visible distress, with many struggling to maintain composure.

According to police testimony, the young woman has numerous prior encounters with law enforcement and demonstrates disruptive behavioral patterns. The court learned she currently divides her residence between her boyfriend’s home and her mother’s household.

Judge Burrell, acknowledging the complexity of the case, determined that custodial remand with psychiatric evaluation represented the most appropriate interim solution. The magistrate emphasized, ‘She needs care and supervision, and that’s not going to happen here,’ while directing probation services to identify suitable mental health facilities.

The case has been adjourned until April 21, pending completion of the ordered psychiatric assessment. This proceeding highlights ongoing challenges in Jamaica’s judicial system regarding mental health interventions and appropriate care protocols for psychologically distressed defendants.

Kingston Mayor Andrew Swaby has declared an immediate escalation in the removal of derelict and illegally parked vehicles throughout the Corporate Area, citing critical public health and safety concerns. The urgent appeal was made during Tuesday’s monthly assembly of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation (KSAMC), where Mayor Swaby highlighted the severe strain on municipal resources and storage capacity.

Emphasizing the gravity of the situation, Swaby revealed that January alone witnessed nearly 200 official notices issued for improper usage of sidewalks and roadways. This enforcement surge aligns with the broader Cleaner Kingston Initiative—a collaborative campaign between KSAMC and the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) designed to revitalize urban areas through enhanced sanitation, waste management, and public space maintenance.

Detailed operational data shows proactive measures by the City Inspector’s Department, including 170 encroachment notices last month. These targeted 62 derelict properties, 6 illegal structures, 14 street-side garages, and 88 abandoned vehicles, culminating in the removal of 25 cars from public thoroughfares. The mayor specifically identified neighborhoods such as Stony Hill, Cross Roads Market, and Olympic Way as priority zones for the ongoing operation.

Historical context underscores the persistence of this issue, with KSAMC having issued over 1,000 public health and road nuisance notices related to abandoned vehicles and properties in 2024. The current drive will also focus on high-density areas including Lemington Avenue, Hagley Park Road, and Padmore Drive, alongside illegal garages in Lyndhurst Close and Standpipe Lane.

Complementing the vehicle removal efforts, authorities have cleared 605 unauthorized event and party signs since January to uphold public order. Mayor Swaby concluded with a renewed call to action for all residents, businesses, and stakeholders to contribute collectively to preserving Kingston’s cleanliness, accessibility, and aesthetic appeal.