ST THOMAS, Jamaica – Dean Jones, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) politician who seemingly pulled a gun during a fight with another man earlier this week, has been nominated as the party’s councillor-candidate for the Trinityville Division in St Thomas Western.

Jones was given the nod during Nomination Day proceedings on Thursday, days after a video surfaced of the physical altercation between the politician and another man, since identified as 58-year-old businessman Wayne Walker.

READ: PNP condemns JLP councillor’s altercation with man in orange, citing ‘intimidation and assault’; JLP councillor claims self-defence

Lawyers for Jones, in a statement on Tuesday, said their client was “physically attacked by persons unknown to him causing him to sustain injuries” while he was conducting business.

The letter stated that Jones was in imminent fear of his life. The letter was signed by attorneys-at-law Alexander Shaw and Trevor Cuff.

“Aware of the mounting threat to his person, our client took defensive action to de-escalate the situation.”
A police report was also reportedly filed.

In a statement, also on Tuesday, the Opposition People’s National Party condemned the actions of Jones, with Shadow Minister of Citizen Security Peter Bunting accusing Jones of carrying out acts of intimidation.

Jones will face off against the PNP’s Kimberley Thompson in the upcoming local government polls.