Cops freed of 11-year murder charge
Published:Tuesday | March 22, 2011 | 12:00 AM
The three policemen who were facing a murder charge for the last 11 years were set free yesterday on the instruction of the director of public prosecutions (DPP).
Constables Lerone Witter and Kirk Nunes and District Constable Ukent Edwards were freed of the murder of reputed gunman Noel Barnes, of Bull Bay, St Andrew, who was fatally shot in 1999.
When they appeared in the Home Circuit Court yesterday, Deputy DPP Dirk Harrison told the court that the DPP was not proceeding with the case against the policemen. He told Senior Puisne Judge Gloria Smith that the Crown could not rule out self-defence, and said further that it would be difficult to determine who fired the fatal shot.
Barnes was fatally shot in bushes in Bito district, near Bull Bay, on the night of August 27, 1999. He was wanted for various offences, including rape and shooting with intent.
The Crown claimed at first that Barnes was killed in cold blood. The policemen, who were represented by defence lawyers George Soutar, Tom Tavares-Finson, Carolyn Reid- Cameron, and Peter Champagnie, had reported that they went in search of Barnes based on a report they received. Barnes fired at them and they acted in self-defence.
They went on trial in March 2005, but the jury failed to arrive at a verdict and a retrial was ordered. Yesterday was the 18th trial date since the retrial was ordered.