St. Vincent Prosecutor, police officers cleared in shooting death of civilian

A St. Vincent prosecutor and two police officers, implicated in the shooting death of a man in August 2020, have been found not guilty after a coroner’s inquest returned a verdict of death by misadventure.

Station Sergeant, Renrick Cato, who is also the prosecutor at the Serious Offences Court, acting Corporal Asrick James and Constable Patrick were implicated in the killing.

Police said during the early hours of August 1, 2020, several police officers were returning from “a function” when they saw Jun Abbott who was “known to the police” walking with what appeared to be a gun in his hand.

The Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said Abbott opened fire when he was ordered to stop and drop his weapon.

The statement said the officers pursued Abbott who opened fire again as he got to his house.

The police returned fire and shot Abbott in his right thigh.

The police statement said Abbott “ran to the back of his house, scaled two walls and escaped.

“A party of police officers from the Georgetown Police Station later joined the search” and his body “was subsequently found in some bushes approximately 400 yards from his house,” the police statement said.

No firearm was found at the scene.

The coroner’s jury returned the verdict on Wednesday after hearing evidence from Crown Counsel Rose-Ann Richardson and Maria Jackson-Richards, as well as police officer Delando Charles from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution.

CMC/