THE TWO policemen charged with the murder of seven-year-old Romaine Edwards, of Track Gate district, Lawrence Tavern, St. Andrew, told the Home Circuit Court yesterday that the killing was accidental and done in the line of duty.They explained that two men, one a notorious gang leader, Norris Brown, also called 'Taliban', fired shots at them and they had to take cover and return the fire.
Detective Constables Leon Hall and Oral Morris, who have been on trial since Monday, gave unsworn statements from the dock. They said based on information they received, they went in the area in search of Taliban on July 22, 2002.
When they saw Taliban and another man in a yard, they shouted "police, don't move," but the men fired shots at them. They returned the fire.
The Crown, being represented by Kennneth Ferguson, is alleging that the boy was shot and killed two years ago when two policemen fired shots into the yard where he lived.
POST-MORTEM
Dr. Ere Seshaia said he performed the post-mortem on the body. He said the boy died from multiple gunshot injuries. There were two gunshot entrance wounds to the chest and one to the right thigh.
The boy's mother, Jennifer Young, and his father, Byron Edwards, had testified that the policemen fired into their yard. Edwards said when he shouted that the boy was dead, the policemen continued firing. Under cross-examination by defence lawyers Tom Tavares Finson and Peter Champagnie, the witnesses denied the suggestion that a gang leader who was a relative of the witness was in the yard on the day of the incident.
SERIOUS CRIMES
Superintendent Assan Thomp-son, operations officer for the St. Andrew North Division, said in 2002 there was a problem in the Lawrence Tavern area with Taliban, who allegedly committed serious crimes, including murder. He said in an effort to apprehend Taliban, the police under his command went on several operations in the area.
The superintendent said he had placed the two accused policemen in the squad to search for Taliban. He said the police had information that the gang leader was operating in the Track Gate district. He said that on July 22, 2002, Constable Hall told him that he had information that Taliban was spotted in the Track Gate area. He said he had received the information before Hall told him and he put together a team to support the lawmen already in Lawrence Tavern.
