Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The two policewomen and two policemen, who were charged jointly with the murder of 17-year-old Christopher McKenzie arising from an incident at the Crofts Hill Police Station in Clarendon, were freed yesterday.

They were freed when Justice Lloyd Hibbert upheld a no-case submission made by defence lawyers Ernest Smith and Altheus A. Hines. The judge directed the 12-member jury to return a formal verdict of not guilty.

Freed were Constable Ceceil Wright-Anderson, District Constable Sherril McKay and constables Howard Tavares and Easton McGregor.

The defence lawyers submitted that self-defence arose on the Crown's case based on statements given by the police and the Crown was not able to prove otherwise.

The judge, in upholding the submissions, said the case was a nightmare for the Crown which was not able to prove that the accused were not acting in self-defence.

The mother of the deceased wept uncontrollably outside the courthouse when she heard the outcome of the case.

The Crown, represented by attorneys-at-law Hugh Thompson, Shawn Steadman and Crown Counsel Stephanie Jackson-Haisley, led evidence in the Clarendon Circuit Court that McKenzie, who was visiting from the United States, was severely beaten and shot at the police station on March 2, 2005.

Following the incident, statements were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ruled that the four should be charged with murder.

Two gunshot wounds

It is being alleged that, on the night of the incident, McKenzie was seen leaning on the verandah of the police station and, at the time, he had two gunshot wounds. One was to the back of his head and the other to the lower section of his back. He was severely beaten at the time.

The police reported at the time that the Mr. McKenzie was attacking Constable Wright-Anderson inside the police station when her colleagues went to her assistance.

Forensic reports indicated that the gunshot wounds to the body were allegedly linked to a firearm which was assigned to one of the four accused.

- barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com