IT was a sad day for the policemen assigned to the Mobile Reserve, Up Park Camp, when High Court Judge Grannum turned a deaf ear to the stirring and emotional plea for probation made by Senior Superintendent Owen Stephenson (later assistant commissioner of police) for a young constable under his command.

The constable, 21-year-old Norris Williams, had shortly before been convicted by a Home Circuit Court jury of manslaughter, but found not guilty on the charge of murder. The jury had obviously accepted the defence of self-defence put forward by his counsel, Frank Phipps, QC, on his behalf.

I refer to the day — this was way back in 1970 — as sad because I am remembering that it was the very first time, and the last, that I have ever heard a senior police officer take the witness stand and on oath, in giving character evidence, say that he was willing to put his career on the line for a young constable.

Senior Superintendent Stephenson added that so proud was he of the young man that…

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Sybil Hibbert, a veteran journalist and retired court reporting specialist, is also the wife of Retired ACP Isadore ‘Dick’ Hibbert, rated among the top Jamaican detectives of his time. Send comments to allend@jamaicaobserver.com