Dear Editor,

The Reverend Al Miller was found guilty because the trial judge did not believe that he told the truth that he was carrying then fugitive Christopher Coke to the US Embassy, and that it was with the knowledge of former Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington.

Reading from sections of the report from the West Kingston Commission of Inquiry, there is evidence given, which seems to me, to support the evidence given by Rev Miller in his trial.

Here are they:

(1) Evidence given by former Commissioner of Police Ellington

On page 413 , Commissioner Ellington told the Inquiry  that Mr [Bruce] Golding asked him to speak with Bishop Blair and Rev. Al Miller concerning the possibility of Coke’s surrender  prior to May 24. Commissioner Ellington said that he sent a message of appeal to Coke by Rev Al Miller, “tell Christopher Coke  that I am appealing to him to surrender peacefully and I will insure his safety whilst he is in custody of the state because it is my responsibility”.

Continuing his evidence Mr Ellington told the Inquiry that a few days later Rev Al Miller came back to see him and told him, “I saw the man and the man said to me, ‘if it was the PNP in office them woulda know how fi deal with it. Tell Bruce Golding to find a way to deal with it. I am not going anywhere and if they want mi they have to come fi mi and they have to come good’”.

He also told the Inquiry that on May 27 Rev Miller returned to see him and told him that he was instrumental in getting Coke’s brother and his sister to surrender to the police. “ I thanked him for his continued effort, wished him good luck and that was it.”

(2) Evidence given by former Prime Minister Bruce Golding

Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding under cross-examination about his contact with Rev Al Miller, said, “He spoke with me and indicated that he had already

 commenced an initiative because he indicated that he was in contact with the Police High Command, and he was also in contact with officials in the US Embassy. I welcomed that initiative because anything that could be done to secure Coke being

taken into custody, the warrant having been issued there was too much turmoil created”.

(3) Evidence given by CDF Saunders on page 433

The high ranked soldier of the Jamaica Defence Force giving evidence on the fugitive Christopher Coke said, “It was confirmed that he had left St Ann the intelligence resources that picked him up somewhere in the region of  Ewarton. There was a report at the time, if I remember correctly, that he was on route to the US Embassy in Kingston to give himself up and he was apprehended on the Spanish Town High Way”.  

(4) The finding of the Inquiry re: Rev Al Miller and Coke  

“In the absence of evidence from Rev Al Miller, we cannot make a definite finding as to whether he was intercepted on his way to surrender to the US Embassy, or whether he was captured as indicated in chapter 12”.

Having read all of these evidences given under oath at the West Kingston Inquiry, given by officials of the highest order in their organizations, and the finding by the members of the West Kingston Inquiry having listened to the above evidences could not make a definitive finding as to whether Coke was intercepted on his way to surrender to the US Embassy or whether he was captured, I believe Rev Al  Miller spoke the truth that the Police High Command knew of the plan to take Coke to the Embassy, I believe that he was honestly taking Coke to the Embassy.

Had the Judge who tried Rev Al Miller had the above evidences given by Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding, CDF Saunders, she would have discharged Rev Miller.

While I think the trial Judge gave a just judgment according to the evidence before her, I also think that justice would have been served if Rev Miller were called to give evidence at the Inquiry. He would have given support to the evidences of Former Prime Minister Bruce Golding and CDF Saunders, and the Commission of Inquiry having received Rev Miller’s evidence would have been able to give a definitive finding, and Rev Miller would not have criminal charge

Former Commissioner of Police Ellington’s evidence mentioned that he was in contact with Rev Miller, and that he sent a direct appeal to Christopher Coke to surrender and that Coke replied to his message through Rev Miller. However, although Former Commissioner Ellington according to Rev Miller was one of the chief officials who knew of the plan to take Coke to the US Embassy, Ellington said nothing in his evidence about it.

Closing his evidence he said that on the May 27 Rev Miller returned to see him; the discussion was about Rev Miller saying that he got Coke’s brother and sister to surrender to the police, but neither he nor Rev Miller said anything about Christopher Coke.

I find it strange that, according to Mr Ellington’s evidence, there was no discussion about the fugitive Coke, so what was the reason for that visit of Rev Miller?

Did the police who claimed to have captured Coke in the company of Rev Miller know of the plan by Miller to take Coke to surrender at the US Embassy? Why didn’t they arrest Rev Miller that day when Coke was arrested being taken from his company?  Why did they wait on the Commissioner to order them to make the arrest on another occasion?

I blame Rev Miller for not demanding in writing the permission from the Police High Command to take Coke to the US Embassy. If he did, his honesty and integrity could not be in doubt by anyone. The person or people who gave that signed document permitting him to take Coke to the US Embassy would be forced to stand with him. In fact, there would be no ground by which a court could find him guilty. I think his effort in getting Christopher Coke to surrender might have saved the country more bloodshed in the process by the security forces to capture him.

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I think that it’s unfortunate that Rev Miller, even at the risk of his own life, in his effort to get Coke to surrender peaceably, is rewarded a criminal record and a fine of $1 million for his heroic deed.

I am hoping that the Government of Jamaica will grant him pardon, and have his record of conviction removed. This would be nothing new, Jamaica is currently begging the US Government to forgive Marcus Garvey for fraud committed in the US for which he was sent to prison.

John D Kelly