KING’S Counsel Peter Champagnie has appealed to the public not to play judge and jury in the matter involving his client, constable Andrew Wilson, who received bail on Tuesday after being arrested and charged with murder in relation to the May 17 shooting death of Latoya “Buju” Bulgin.

Bulgin was shot dead by Wilson while he was in uniform and on duty in Granville, St James.

The constable was given bail in the amount of $1 million with “very stringent reporting conditions and restrictions concerning travel”, according to Champagnie. As part of the conditions, Wilson has been ordered to surrender his travel documents, and a stop order has been put in place.

He is to return to court in relation to the case on July 10.

He is also being represented by attorney-at-law Michael Hemmings.

“We indicate that now that the matter is before the court, it is best the matter be ventilated fully in court. We appreciate the need for the public to have information because the matter generated a number of discussions when this incident unfolded. We have to remember that there is the presumption of innocence and that everyone is entitled to have their matter ventilated in the court, not just the victims of offences but also accused persons. We would not want to go into anything further, insofar as the allegations are concerned,” Champagnie told the Jamaica Observer Tuesday afternoon.

A previous bail application was denied during Wilson’s first court appearance last week. Champagnie said bail was granted earlier in the day because it was demonstrated that Wilson has been cooperative from the start of the investigations.

“It ought to be emphasised that our client, when he was advised that he would be charged, without hesitation made himself available, and submitted himself to the police station and there was no issue in terms of making himself available,” the defence attorney said.

The 45-year-old Bulgin was reportedly transporting residents to a protest over the fatal police shooting of 17-year-old Tjey Edwards, which had occurred in the Granville community, days earlier, when she became involved in a confrontation with police.

Surveillance footage that circulated widely after the incident showed Bulgin seated in the driver’s seat of a Toyota Voxy after the vehicle was stopped by police in Granville Square. The footage appeared to show an officer firing in her direction while she remained inside the vehicle.

Following the shooting, Wilson was interdicted by the police high command pending the outcome of investigations. In an initial report, the police alleged that Bulgin had threatened to run over the cop who discharged the firearm.

The CCTV footage also captured events after the shooting, showing Bulgin being removed from the vehicle feet-first and placed on the ground. A second officer later assisted in lifting her by her arms and legs before she was placed in the rear of a police pick-up truck. The officers were then seen struggling to secure the vehicle’s tailgate.

The incident sparked unrest in Granville. On the following day, residents mounted roadblocks using discarded appliances, tree branches and other debris at several intersections, while fires were lit in some sections of the area in protest.