Premature adjudication

By Gordon Robinson

Once upon a domino table, Dessie, my right-hand opponent, posed double-six; Gene Autry played six-deuce; The Beast contributed deuce-four. I held this motley collection: Six-five; five-four; double-three; four-three; six-blank; three-blank; five-ace. What should I play? No peeking. The answer comes at the end.

It's beginning to look as if INDECOM's success in convincing the Supreme Court it has powers of arrest and charge has made it giddy. On March 31, the INDECOM commissioner called a press conference to announce that his agency was probing the possible involvement of senior policemen in several questionable civilian shootings. Ye Gods! Why would an investigating organisation make such a premature announcement? Why not await at least arrests before throwing rash words around that can only prejudice the investigations, frighten citizens or destroy morale?

He said he'll consider carefully "whether any senior officer permitted, ordered or acquiesced in the activities which led to these killings, and, if there's evidence which shows that they did so, to ensure that those matters are put before the proper tribunal for determination." This smacks of INDEBRAIN, which, as we all know, is the art of speaking without engaging thought.

CONFLICTING REPORTS

Then it was announced four junior Area Three policemen were arrested and charged with murder. A detective corporal was charged with four murders. INDECOM alleges he killed Adif Washington on January 14, 2013, among others. But, at the same press conference, INDECOM announced that it was seeking information from the public regarding eight incidents originally thought to be between civilians/gunmen but which are now suspected to involve the police. No. 6 on the list?

"Adif Washington - Milk River Area, May Pen Hospital, Clarendon - January 13, 15, 2013."

But INDECOM has already laid a charge against a junior Clarendon policeman who has been remanded. Is INDECOM admitting that it doesn't have enough to prove a charge brought against a policeman?

Within a week, INDECOM charged three more junior Clarendon policemen with murder. In all, eight have been arrested and charged. It's unwritten tradition that policemen aren't remanded, for obvious reasons, including that they'll be sent to a place already housing so many natural enemies. But, these were remanded after INDECOM opposed bail.

With their perceived defenders in jail, citizens of Race Course in Clarendon staged a protest against INDECOM's treatment of their police.

DEATH SQUADS

INDECOM's public display of glee at their bag of 'police in a bungle' helped to hype the press' spectre of 'death squads'. Now this is a very serious bit of speculation that should be immediately proven or withdrawn. We all know of ad hoc incidents where junior policemen allegedly bring wounded gunmen before senior officers on operation to ask, "Wha me mus do wid 'im?" In my day, legend had the hapless criminal stuffed in the trunk until the shift was over, then taken to hospital to be pronounced dead. Nowadays, the curt reply is (allegedly), "Kill him."

I'm not saying these options are right, but I am saying that, thanks to our impotent justice system, police have the support of every law-abiding resident in the area of the operation in exercising these options.

But 'death squads' are horses of a different colour that require organisation, training and a High Command link, probably at the highest level. Such allegations oughtn't to be tossed around lightly, nor should any public statement be made that could lead anyone to conjure up this chilling description.

So it was that, when I visited May Pen on April 15, the police station resembled a ghost town; police officers had reported 'sick'; no reinforcements were sent; and criminals were large and in charge. Known gunmen, in hiding for years, roamed the streets with impunity. Gunshots were fired in broad daylight. Indiscipline was rampant. A customer drove to a fast-food establishment to find the entrance blocked by higglers. He (politely) blew his horn. The response was, "Blow all you want. Nobody nuh di deh to help yu. Get outta de car and walk if yu want to buy anyting inside."

Which independent com-mission oversees INDECOM? Who ensures it doesn't suffer from rushes of blood? Is INDECOM expected to apply common sense to its activities? Is the male Jamaican problem of premature adjudication causing a Clarendon crime spike?

The correct domino play is four-five. The plan is to pass poser with fives (later). But, holding six-five, there's no need to prematurely cut the pose. Poser can't go two-sixes on partner. Better to be preventative and strategic.

Peace and love.

Gordon Robinson is an attorney-at-law. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.