Police corporal found guilty of 2010 murder at football match

A police corporal is to be sentenced on February 3 after being found guilty of murder and unlawful wounding in the St Ann Circuit Court on Tuesday.  

He is Alcourt Williams, who at the time of the crime had served in the Jamaica Constabulary Force for 17 years. He was suspended from duties after being charged. 

The case surrounds an incident at Drax Hall in 2010 where the corporal shot two men, one fatally, during a crowd disturbance at a football match. 

It was reported that the football match was in progress at the Drax Hall playing field when a crowd of persons invaded the field in protest of a refereeing decision.  

Williams, who was attending the match, intervened in a fight involving several persons, identifying himself as a police officer.

One man who had a knife in hand was told to drop the weapon but refused to and continued to advance towards another man involved in the altercation. 

Williams fired a warning shot in the air and then another, which caught two persons. The two injured men were taken to hospital, where one died.

After investigations, Williams was charged with murder and unlawful wounding. 

At the end of the trial, which lasted six days, Williams was found guilty on both counts after the jury deliberated for less than an hour.  

- Carl Gilchrist

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