The case of Stephen Burrows Jr unfolded last year when the 18-year-old was allegedly beaten unconscious by four men identifying themselves as police officers. Burrows claimed he was held from December 1 to 3 and was handcuffed and beaten by the four men. He said he was thrown in the back seat of an unmarked car and taken to the CID office, where he was then tossed into a dumpster and beaten for a gruelling 45 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 that left him partially deaf in the right ear.
“One of the [men] said if I made him mad, he was going to kill me and leave my body somewhere for someone to find it,” he said at the time. “Then he said no one would know what truly happened because nobody knew I was at the CID.” Subsequently, Burrows filed a complaint. Less than a month later, the young man claimed the angry officers attacked him again – this time, they wanted him dead. On January 4, Mr Burrows claimed about seven officers entered his yard through Rush Crusher Road and started shooting at him, running him into the nearby bushes. The man’s angry father stormed to officials on the force to make more complaints.
The case surrounding the December incident is now being heard by the Police Tribunal where two officers are on trial for the alleged beating. But now, the angry family is trying to figure out why these officers are after the young man. Stephen Burrows Sr, the man’s father, said he had to file yet another complaint against the duo for threatening his son as he walked into the courtroom.
By IANTHIA SMITH Guardian Staff Reporter
