File on death of Kentucky Kid sent to Coroner's Court

EXECUTIVE director of Jamaicans For Justice, Dr Carolyn Gomes said yesterday that the file on the death of entertainer Kentucky Kid was recently sent to the Coroner's Court by Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn.

Kentucky Kid, whose real name is Robert Hill, was killed under controversial circumstances by the police at his home in Kingston in December last year.

Gomes was, however, concerned about Llewellyn's decision to send the case to the Coroner's Court which she said did not invoke her confidence.

"The file on his death has been sent for a Coroner's inquest and JFJ has written to ask the DPP for some reasoning why a Coroner's inquest because that is a place where you go to kill cases," Gomes said during the Observer's weekly Monday Exchange.

Police claimed Hill was killed at his home at Ivy Green Mews near Cross Roads during a shoot-out, but human rights groups and his relatives have challenged the police, saying Hill was murdered in cold blood.

The entertainer and the police had been at loggerheads since a speeding vehicle owned by the constabulary smashed his car in July 2009. Hill claimed that he was badly beaten by the cops involved and said they had threatened to kill him.

He also that the same set of officers visited his home and mauled him and his pregnant wife. He made a video recording of the beating and handed it over to the police high command, pleading with them to rein in the officers. However, his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Hill also penned a letter naming the officers who had threatened his life and asked that it be handed over to the JFJ in the event of his death.

"Kentucky Kid is but one case," head of Families Against State Terrorism, Yvonne McCalla-Sobers said.

Robert Hill was one of 224 persons fatally shot by police last year. Hill's case drew international attention and prompted international news network Al Jazeera to dub Jamaica one of the most violent societies on earth in a documentary.