THE EDITOR, Sir:
KINDLY ALLOW me space to take the Public Defender, Mr. Howard Hamilton and the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs to task for wanting to conduct an enquiry into the Janice Allen case.
An enquiry is inquisitorial and not adversarial and therefore no useful purpose would be served, nobody would be charged, as the verdict is irreversible. Furthermore an enquiry will cost taxpayers millions of dollars and further traumatise the family. The Jamaican public are aware of the fact that the case was improperly investigated and that the gun record was destroyed by fire at the Denham Town Police Station.
Janice Allen was killed by the bullet from a policeman's gun and upon trial he received a not guilty manslaughter verdict. The policeman was acting as an agent of the State and committed a crime however caused. Janice's constitutional right, the pursuit of happiness and the right to life, was breached by agents of the State.
The Attorney General's Department should be meeting with the family and legal counsel to arrive at a settlement, although no amount of money will bring back Janice or heal the grief, pain and mental anguish that the family has suffered.
The country's financial resources have been stretched thin and vital services have been cut back and have had their budgets reduced. Can we then, afford an enquiry at this time?
What is needed is an independent body to investigate all cases of police shootings. The police cannot investigate themselves.
I am, etc.,
JOSEPH M. CORNWALL (Snr.)J.P.
tranquilityfh@yahoo.com
