Murder accused was tortured when he was 12 years old

The 27-year-old man who has been arrested in connection with with death of 12-year-old Dwayne Stephon Miller, made national headlines over 15 years ago.

On Friday, April 12, 1996, McCarthy “DJ” Patterson was featured on the front page of SEARCHLIGHT, after he was allegedly tortured at the Layou Police Station, for alleged theft at the residence of the late Owen Walker.

According to the newspaper report, Patterson was stripped bare, hands tied, ankles clasped with handcuffs, as he was whipped with stinging nettles on his bottom and testicles, and branded with a hot knife on his back, chest, leg and penis, before being given a bath with salt water, while his mouth was covered.

The punishment was allegedly administered to Patterson, who at the time, was the same age as that of his alleged victim, Dwayne Miller, in an attempt to get him to confess to theft.

The punishment administered to Patterson almost led to a riot in the coastal town of Layou, as residents came out in their numbers to denounce and protest the treatment meted to Patterson, an orphan.

A subsequent trial led to the firing of two police officers.

In June 1996, Police Constables Kemelius Boyea and Carlos Neverson were acquitted by the court of their role in Patterson’s ordeal. They were, however, dismissed by then Police Commissioner Randolph Toussaint for breach of police conduct, after being reinstated for a short period of time.

Two other officers: Station Sergeant Primus and Corporal Hendrickson, who were at the station on the night Patterson was allegedly tortured, were asked to resign.

Fifteen years later, Patterson was being protected by members of the Rapid Response Unit, Special Services Unit and other departments of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, as he was brought down from the Layou mountains, after leading police to the remains of Miller, who was last seen alive on September 29, this year.

He was being protected from members of the same community who had come out in his support when he was on the other side of the law.

Patterson, who was recently released from prison, has a long history of criminal activity, mostly burglary and theft.

It is alleged that he also tried to kill 19-year-old Joemoro Phillips, after luring him to an area not too far from when Miller was found, by telling Phillips that he needed help cutting posts for “Walker”.

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