THE FOUR police personnel charged with the murder of 17-year-old Christopher McKenzie, arising from an incident at the Crofts Hill Police Station in Clarendon, are to be tried on July 3.
They are Woman Constable Ceceil Wright-Anderson, District Constable Sherril McKay and constables Howard Tavares and Easton McGregor who are on bail.
The trial date was set when they appeared in the Clarendon Circuit Court yesterday.
When the four accused appeared in court, Crown Counsel Sharon Barnes informed Mr. Justice Leighton Pusey (acting) that the Director of Public Prosecutions had preferred a voluntary bill of indictment for the case to go straight to trial.
SEVERELY BEATEN
The Crown is alleging that McKenzie was severely beaten and shot at the police station on March 2 last year.
Following the incident, statements were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ruled in March this year that the four should be charged with murder.
It is being alleged that McKenzie was seen leaning on the verandah of the police station and, at the time, had two gunshot wounds. One was to the back of his head and the other to the lower section of his back. He had been severely beaten.
The police reported at the time that the deceased was attacking Woman Constable Wright-Anderson inside the police station when her colleagues went to her assistance.
The Crown is alleging that based on the forensic report, the gunshot wounds to the body were linked to a firearm which was assigned to one of the four accused.
Attorneys-at-law Ernest Smith, Nesta Claire Smith and Dianne Cruickshank are representing Tavares and McGregor. Attorney-at-law A.A. Hines is representing Wright -Anderson and McKay.
