By Anthony Henry, Staff Reporter 
A VERDICT is expected this week in the Braeton Coroner's Inquest being held to determine how seven men met their deaths and whether anyone is criminally responsible.
After nine months and two days of hearing, Coroner Lorna Gayle on Monday instructed the jurors to begin deliberating on the depositions.
The jurors' deliberations began unexpectedly because four policemen who were expected to testify on Monday refused to say anything after they took the stand. The policemen face the possibility of being fined $200 or spending a month in jail.
Earlier, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had made an application that the four policemen be called upon to testify.
However, Carolyn Reid, one of the attorneys representing the police, tried to block the application citing Section 20, sub-section 1 of the Coroner's Act, which states, in part, that a man has a right not to testify if he feels his testimony could incriminate him.
Coroner Gayle, however, ruled that the policemen should be called to testify.
One by one they were called and each refused to give sworn statements.
Richard Rowe, the attorney representing the estate of Tamayo Wilson, said he wanted to hear evidence from two other policemen whom he said could assist in the inquest. However, Senior Superintendent Reneto Adams, head of the Crime Management Unit (CMU), disclosed that one of the policemen was on 10 days' sick leave and the other was recovering from surgery. Coroner Gayle said she would not postpone the inquest for another week as she was not sure the men would be able to attend court.
She then instructed the jurors on how to view the depositions and the deponents. She also pointed out several inconsistencies in the testimonies of several witnesses and instructed the jurors that the refusal of the policemen to testify must not be looked on as an admission of guilt.
The 10-member jury, which dwindled from 12, was yesterday afternoon dismissed to return to court tomorrow when they will begin deliberations.
The Braeton Inquest is attempting to find out the circumstances under which Christopher Grant, Tamayo Wilson, Andre Virgo, Dane Whyte, Lancebert Clarke, Curtis Smith and Regan Beckford were killed during a police operation that took place at 1088 Fifth Seal Way, Braeton Phase 3 on March 14, 2001.
According to the police, they went to the address to apprehend Grant, who was a suspect in the March 1, 2001, shootings at the Above Rocks Police Station. During that incident a lone gunman killed retired Customs officer Dennis Betton and 39-year-old Constable Dwight Gibson and wounded a woman. Gibson's service revolver was also stolen.
The police claimed that when they went to Braeton to arrest Grant, the occupants of the house shot at them. The officers returned fire and the seven boys were shot dead. The pre-dawn operation ended at about 5:30 a.m.
However, some residents have disputed the police's claims of a shoot-out, saying that they heard some of the young men begging for their lives.
Three of the seven killed were later linked to the March 13, 2001, murder of Hartlands All-Age School principal, Keith Morris, and the robbery of a bar in Braeton where he was playing dominoes that night.
