Lee’s back in court after escape from hospital
From the Courts
December 21, 2007

Lee’s back in court after escape from hospital

About a month after he was shot and then escaped police custody at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital, 40-year-old Murray’s Village resident Sylvester Lee was finally caught and brought before the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Monday to answer criminal charges.{{more}}

Lee, who said police chased and shot him, pleaded not guilty to wounding police constable Hadley Ballantyne on November 18th this year.

On that day, Police Officers went to the reclamation site in the vicinity of the Leeward Bus Terminal to look for Lee, who was wanted by police on several matters.

When Lee was located, he jumped into the sea but was not followed by the police.

It is alleged that while the policemen were walking back to the police transport, Lee came out the water, broke a bottle and ran behind PC Ballantyne. Luckily for the officer, according to court reports, a civilian who saw Lee swooping down to hit Ballantyne alerted him to turn around before Lee could strike him. When the dust cleared, Lee had received a gunshot wound to his leg and Ballanytne had suffered a cut to his hand. The matter was adjourned to March 24, 2008. (KW)