Residents of Pinewood Gardens are calling for the killer of 20-year-old Deron Bethel to be brought before the criminal courts immediately to stave off suspicions of a police cover-up.
Neighbours of Mr Bethel, who was allegedly shot by an off-duty policeman who was called to a domestic dispute in a nearby house are determined to “head off” what they see as a police attempt to have the matter referred to a coroner’s hearing.
“The family repudiates the need for a coroner’s court,” a family source said last night, “We want this to go to a magistrate’s court or by way of an indictment to the Supreme Court.
“We feel any attempt by police, to have the matter referred to a coroner’s court would be no more than a manoeuvre to fudge the issue.”
Pinewood Gardens is still in shock following the killing of the young father-to-be known locally as “Sharky”. His girlfriend Shakira is six months pregnant and the couple were said to be planning marriage later this year.
Neighbours of the Bethel family have accused police of shooting an innocent man in cold blood.
Last night, the community said new witnesses who had not been interviewed by police were ready to come forward. “These witnesses will have a material effect on what the police have to say,” the source claimed.
“The police crime scene people did not properly investigate the crime scene. They did not interview a number of witnesses to the killing:` We have been begging for there not to be a cover-up.
“We have made it clear to police that their preliminary conclusions can’t stand. And we have told them that we will do everything we can to ensure that witnesses are brought forward for interview tomorrow.”
The source said there were real fears in Pinewood that a cover-up was underway. But police knew, he said, that their own rules were broken when a shot was fired at a reversing car.
The Tribune
