In a move that sparked outrage among the island’s police force, the inquest into the shooting death of Pinewood resident Deron Bethel was called off yesterday when an officer suspected in the shooting was referred to the magistrate’s court to face manslaughter charges.
Detective Corporal Nathaniel Charlow of the Central Detective Unit (CDU) appeared before the Coroner’s Court yesterday morning, only to be told by Coroner Linda Virgill that the Attorney General had referred the matter to a criminal court, eliminating the need to conduct an inquest.
However, up until press time last night Charlow had not been arraigned before the courts.
Speaking with The Tribune late yesterday afternoon, deputy of prosecutions Cheryl Bethell-Grant said that the case is still under review by Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson.
“She is expected to make a decision (today),” she said. Mrs Bethell-Grant said she could not disclose the reason for the cancellation of the inquest.
However, she said that calling off an inquest is one of the constitutional rights of the attorney general and not an unusual occurrence.
Deron Bethel, 20, was killed on March 28 in a run in with police. The incident allegedly happened when police entered the Pinewood community to investigate a report of domestic violence.
In a show of solidarity, scores of officers from the CDU left their posts yesterdav to appear oh Bank Lane to support their colleague. Talking to The Tribune in ļ¾ front of the courts, Inspector Bradley Sands, executive chairman of the Police Staff Association, claimed that this move by the Attorney General shows a “total disregard for the whole process.”
“In all of my 20 years plus, police shootings have been dealt with by the Coroner’s.
Due process is the order of the day. If we extend due process to the common criminal on the road, let’s extend it to members of the Royal Bahamas Police Force that find themselves embroiled in police shootings,” Inspector Sands said.
Desmond Bannister, lawyer for Officer Charlow, claimed that the attorney general’s decision was “very unfair” to his client and all police officers.
“Police officers put their lives on the line on every single day. This man is putting – his life on the line and those of his colleagues; and having to be threatened and facing manslaughter charges is very unfair.
“No reason was given for calling off the inquest and the inquest would be the proper procedure to follow. The attorney general ought never to interfere with the discretion of the coroner to hold an inquest,” he said.
However, Mr Bannister said that he was very pleased with the turn-out of CDU officers yesterday.
“I believe that the support that the police officers have given him is an indication of how they feel about the fact that they have to put their lives on the line so often. They cannot have the Executive treat them like that,” he said.
Mr Bannister said that his client has been through an “amazing ordeal” in the past months and that he hopes that the attorney general will decide to let the inquest go forth.
“We hope that this is the end of it that there will be no more threats of manslaughter charges. It is unfair to him, to his family,” he said.
By KARIN HERIG Tribune Staff Reporter
