Lawyer says cops want client dead
MONTEGO BAY, St James – A Montego Bay attorney has accused the police at the Freeport lock-up of being involved in a plot to have his client “assassinated” while in police custody.
The charges against the police were levelled by Lambert
Johnson in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrates Court on Friday as he applied for bail for his client, Anthony Christie, who is facing one charge of murder and illegal possession of firearm with one other murder charge pending.
Johnson told the court that his client, who was on the Most Wanted list put out by the Area One police earlier this year, had to be rushed to the Cornwall Regional Hospital on September 9 after he was attacked and stabbed in the left side of his chest.
The court heard that Christie, who is accused of shooting a man in the Montego Bay shoe arcade in February this year, had to undergo “life saving emergency operation” and was hospitalised for five days.
He was, however, attacked last Monday, two days after he was taken back to the lock-up.
At least one other man, co-accused Rio McIntosh, was also attacked and injured in the September 9 incident and received 29 stitches the court heard.
Johnson told the court he had a “passing suspicion that the police are involved” in the attacks inside the cells and while he understood the “great offence at the feet of the police in general”, he alleged that they were either “unable to provide security” for his client or they were “actively seeking to bring about the demise” of Christie.
Presiding Senior Resident Magistrate Winsome Henry agreed that it was the responsibility of the police to keep prisoners in their custody safe but instead of granting bail, suggested Christie be transferred as soon as possible to the New Horizon Remand Centre until his case was due to be mentioned on October 2.
Christie gave himself up to the police after he was named on the Most Wanted list but his lawyer contended his client was unaware the police were seeking him, a claim refuted by the police who insisted that several efforts were made to contact him.
