...Snr cop had to hide

SUPERINTENDENT OF Police in charge of South St. Andrew, Frederick Williams, told the Commission of Enquiry into the July 7-11 West Kingston violence yesterday that he did not fire a single bullet during the police operation on the morning of July 7.

Superintendent Williams, who led the cordon operation, said that he had to seek refuge in a small grocery shop during the shooting.

The senior policeman testified that he had been disturbed by gunshots from about 6:00 a.m. and had to take cover in a shop at the corner of Milk Lane and North Street, along with a constable. He said that he would peep outside the door to see what was happening.

On one occasion, he said he saw about six gunmen protected by a hump at a bridge on North Street about two chains away; and that the men fired, sporadically, then dispersed after about 20-30 minutes.

Mr. Williams said that although he had his .380 pistol on him, he did not fire any shots. He was not sure if other parties of security personnel saw the men or if they fired at them.

After he was able to leave the shop, he said he took a constable who was shot near May Pen Cemetery to the Medical Associates Hospital, but did not return to West Kingston after that.

Lawyer Oswald James, representing the JLP, suggested that Superintendent Williams did not return either because he was irresponsible or was "sickened" by what he saw happening in Denham Town. The Superintendent denied both.

Under cross examination by Dennis Daley for the Office of the Public Defender, Supt. Williams said that he saw one Major Prendergast and a group of soldiers about two chains from where he was hiding, but he did not know if they also saw the armed men or fired at them. He said that he radioed for a V-150 armoured car.

At the close of yesterday's hearing, CVM cameraman Ian Palmer, said that Sergeant Warren Turner of Mobile Reserves had given him permission to use a "d-focus" of him, in which only his silhouette would appear on the televising of his evidence.

Justice Julian Isaac, who chairs the Commission, said that he was told by Sergeant Turner that he had not given the television crew permission to use his silhouette.

Mr. Isaac warned the CVM crew that if the rule against filming witnesses who did not wish to be filmed was breached again, they would be barred.

At one stage of the sitting, Ms. Hylton had taken issue with the filming of Superintendent Williams. However, she withdrew the objection after she learned that the Superintendent had agreed to be filmed by the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) police cameras.

The hearings will resume this morning at the Mutual Life Centre, Oxford Road, with Calvin Thompson of the Survey Department being examined on aerial maps to be used in the enquiry, and new witnesses Superintendent Albert Watt and DSP Maurice Robinson.

Director of Elections, Danville Walker, will appear Thursday instead of Friday, while Commissioner Francis Forbes is to be cross-examined on Friday.

-- B.H.

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