Suicide’s death ruled manslaughter

Criminal charges will more than likely be laid against Police Constable 711 Shacky Green for causing the death of Kamasha “Suicide” Alexander on October 16, 2008.{{more}}

At the conclusion of the Inquest into Alexander’s death on Tuesday, March 16, at the Serious Offences Court, a five-member jury unanimously returned a verdict of manslaughter shortly after 4pm.

Green was the police officer who pumped four bullets into the body of Alexander, 29, after he claimed that the deceased lunged at him with a knife.

A post mortem revealed that he died as a result of multiple gunshot injuries. He sustained gunshot wounds to the neck and legs.

Soon after the verdict was announced, Lovedear Alexander, mother of the deceased, pumped her fists to the ceiling and yelled “Oh, thank you, Jesus. Praise the Lord.” Coroner Sonya Young chided Alexander for her outburst and told her that the court was still sitting and that she could not behave that way.

Speaking to SEARCHLIGHT outside the courthouse, Alexander noted that she felt relieved. “I feel justice was really done… I really feel good about this,” Alexander commented.

In Green’s evidence, he noted that he was dispatched to the home of Luther Simmons, Alexander’s grandfather, to deal with a dispute there involving “Suicide”. The court heard that Alexander was behaving erratically while at his grandfather’s house in Biabou.

Equipped with a 9mm .33 semi-automatic, Green said when he arrived at the premises, he heard someone banging on a door in the house. He said he was he on the porch when the deceased rushed outside with a knife in his hand. Green told the court that he shouted: “Police, police, drop the knife.” Green said he then drew his weapon from his waist, charged it and once again told Alexander to drop the knife.

While shouting, Green said he was stepping backwards all the time but Alexander kept coming at him. When Alexander got about four feet away, Green said he fired a shot at Alexander’s leg but he kept coming and he fired once more. The next time Alexander rushed him, Green said he fired two quick shots at him, which resulted in Alexander falling to the ground.

He was rushed to the Biabou Health Centre where he died.

The court also raised concerns about how Alexander was shot from behind while a gun was aimed at him from the front.

In the testimony of Lovedear Alexander, she noted that her son had a history of nervous breakdowns but never visited the Mental Health Centre. Alexander said that Kamasha never got violent when he was experiencing any of his episodes. She said that he would mainly show lots of affection and would stay at home and eat a lot.

Before her son was mortally wounded, Lovedear received a telephone call from Kamasha’s girlfriend stating that he was behaving strangely after taking his medication. Lovedear recalled telling Kamasha’s girlfriend to bring him to her house so that he could go to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital to get an injection.

Alexander said that her son eluded hospital authorities twice, but was confronted by police in the street and was being taken to the Police Headquarters in Kingstown when he once again escaped and proceeded to Biabou.

Crown Counsel Carl Williams led the evidence for the Prosecution.