The father of the 18-year-old man who claims he was beaten unconscious by four police officers, said his son’s case is finally going to be heard before the Police Tribunal. Mr Burrows said the matter will be heard on March 22, where two police officers will be called to answer charges of using unnecessary violence to a prisoner, while in the execution of duty.
Initially, four plain-clothes officers were involved in the alleged beating, but only two officers were charged. Chief Superintendent of Police Hulan Hanna, in a previous interview, said one of the officers attached to The Central Detective Unit, has been transferred from that department and the completed investigations did not materially connect the other two officers to the incident.
Stephen Burrows Jr claimed he was handcuffed and beaten between December 1 and 3 2005, by four men identifying themselves as police officers. He said he was thrown into the back seat of an unmarked car and taken to the CID office, where he was then tossed into a dumpster and beaten for 45 gruelling minutes. He added, that while in the prison cell, the men continued beating him. When he was released that Saturday, he said he had to be rushed to the hospital, where the doctors there confirmed he sustained multiple fractured ribs, internal bleeding and a ruptured eardrum, which resulted in his being partially deaf in the right ear. A few weeks later, seven officers reportedly opened fire on the 18-year-old man while in his own back yard, running him through the bushes. Burrows filed a separate complaint on that matter, which is still under police investigation.
Throughout the case, Stephen Burrows Sr explained his disappointment at how slowly investigations into his son’s claims were going. He added, that he felt like officers were “covering up for each other,” by letting the matter be heard by the Police Tribunal and thought cops on the force had a personal grudge against his son. But Mr Burrows said that he will keep a positive mind about the outcome.
“I am very optimistic about the case,” Mr Burrows said. “If justice plays out, then I guess I will win and we will see how true the system is.”
The Guardian received information that the alleged beating was caught on CDU outdoor surveillance cameras and that the recordings derived therefrom, might be used as evidence in court.
By: JIMENITA SWAIN, The Nassau Guardian
