Superintendent Steve McGreggor reasons with Sylvia and Cecil Morris, father and sister of Roger Morris, a 23-year-old passenger who was shot dead by the St. James police along with taxi driver, Roy Black, in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, Wednesday night. - Contributed

Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:

Three policemen attached to the St. James Division have been taken off front-line duty following the controversial fatal shooting of a taxi operator and a passenger in Catherine Hall, Montego Bay, Wednesday night.

Members of the Bureau of Special Investigation (BSI) travelled to St. James yesterday to commence investigations into the incident.

Those killed have been identified as Roy Black, 32-year-old taxi operator of Pitfou and Roger Morris, 23, a chef employed to the Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort - of Pitfour and Albion addresses in St. James.

Morris had just left work and was on his way to visit his girlfriend, who is four months pregnant, in Pitfour.

Angry residents staged hours of peaceful protest in front of the Madden's funeral parlour on Union Street in Montego Bay. They have accused the police of unlawfully killing the men.

"He (Morris) was my neighbour and was one of the most peaceful young men you could ever find. I am very certain that he is innocent and was murdered in cold blood," said an emotionally charged Beverley Elliot, as family members, friends and concerned citizens gathered outside the parlour.

Elliott is the president of the Pitfour Citizens Association.

Superintendent Steve McGreggor, commanding officer in charge of St. James, said 43 rapes had been recorded in the parish since January.

Attackers identified

An increasing number of victims have identified their attackers as taxi drivers, mostly driving white Toyota Corollas.

In the last two weeks, at least four of these acts were committed along the Montego Bay to Granville route. Consequently, the police are randomly checking white taxis.

"It was on account of this why this particular taxi was intercepted. Based on reports by the officers, the driver refused to stop along the Howard Cooke Highway and turned into Catherine Hall," McGreggor said.

"The officers account that the driver came out and fired at them. They returned the fire. The driver went back in, drove off and the car overturned in a ditch."

The officer said Morris was sitting immediately behind the driver when he was shot. Three other passengers were taken from the vehicle and processed at the station, but not charged. He said he witnessed a 9mm pistol being recovered from the vehicle.

But residents have discredited the police version that Black opened fire at the police when signalled to stop. Michael Troupe, the People's National Party councillor for Granville division, corroborated the residents' statements.

"I know Black very well and I'm sure he is no wrongdoer," Troupe commented.

noel.thompson@gleanerjm.com