Lawyer Fayne Thompson is calling for the Attorney General and Commissioner of Police to continue thorough investigations into the deaths of Jermaine Mackey and Craig Wring.
Mr. Thompson represented the relatives of Craig Wring at an inquest into his death.
Ms Joyanne Ferguson of the Attorney General’s officer marshaled the evidence, while Mr. Sidney Collie represented Sergeant 112 Sawyer and Mr. Kenneth Toppin represented the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
Wring was shot to death On May 25, 2001 nearly two years ago, by police on East Street after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend.
In early testimony, the court heard that on the night in question, police officers saw a woman whose life they thought to be in danger as she was being chased by Wring, who appeared to have a knife in his hand.
Other witnesses testified that it was not a knife but a spatula.
Mr. Thompson called a press conference in his law office Tuesday afternoon to bring attention to the need for justice.
During the inquest Mr. Thompson contended that police used unnecessary and excessive force.
His statements came a week after a Coroner’s jury ruled that Sgt. 112 Sawyer was justified in his use of excessive force.
He emphatically stressed that in the case of wrongful death and abuse the police should not investigate themselves.
Mr. Thompson said he would also like to see an effective investigation carried out by an independent body.
He said it was not a case of “spoilt milk or sour grapes” but an “expression of serious concerns regarding the delivery of justice.”
He said he spoke on behalf of the Wring family, indicating that it is absolutely important that in future “any concerns expressed be taken seriously.”
“We are concerned about the fact that a senior police officer came into court and admitted” that there were no investigations, said Mr. Thompson.
Based on witness testimony there appeared to have been a massive police cover up, he said.
Mr. Thompson said that an inordinate delay of nine months in the case and the absence of a juror who left for school resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
He said that his client, Wring’s mother Ms Esther Minns, paid a substantial amount for the jurors’ return and boarding in a hotel to attend the final days of Wring’s inquest.
Mr. Thompson, speaking on the Jermaine Mackey matter, said that a witness told him that while being interviewed by police their words were changed.
“If he were to say I thought he had a gun in his hand, we are informed that an attempt was made to change that to he had a gun in his hand,” said Mr. Thompson.
He said Jermaine Mackey’s family is concerned that no police officer be involved in the investigation of this matter.
Mr. Thompson said he has no knowledge of any thorough investigation because no information has come to his attention as the lawyer for the Mackey family.
He said he awaits an answer from the Attorney General and Commissioner of Police on the matters.
By Sean Inniss, The Nassau Guardan
