Chief Magistrate to rule on no-case submission in ‘friendly fire’ case

Police officers, Sergeant Julius Morgan and Constable Orlando Collins will now have to wait until September 6 to learn their fate.{{more}}

Chief Magistrate Sonya Young was expected to give a decision on a no-case submission put forward by the men’s counsel at the Serious Offences Court on Wednesday, but the magistrate said she found the charge of negligence to be “rash” and further noted that she wanted written submissions from both sides of the bar table on the matter before delivering a decision.

Both men are charged with unlawful and malicious wounding, unlawful discharging of a firearm, excessive use of force, acting in a manner so rash, or so negligent, as to be likely to cause harm to a person and conspiracy to defeat the course of justice.

The magistrate requested that the written submissions be submitted on Monday, August 12.

On December 5, 2012, police received an anonymous tip that a drug operation was being carried out on the beach at Rose Place, popularly known as Bottom Town.

Several units of the police force responded and Corporal Milford Edwards, a member of the Narcotics Unit (Drug Squad), was shot in his upper right arm.

Another police officer, PC 45 Adrian Forde, who was also charged in the matter, was discharged on June 25, following a submission by his counsel Kay Bacchus-Browne that there was no evidence to support the charge.

He had been charged with conspiracy to defeat the course of justice.

Counsel Duane Daniel and Patricia Marks, appearing on behalf of her senior Ronald Marks, represent the police officers.

Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams leads the case for the Crown.