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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Former security minister and Member of Parliament (MP) Derrick Smith has found himself in trouble with the law.
The Government MP has been slapped with a charge of obstructing the police, stemming from an incident at the scene of a shooting in a Jamaica Labour Party enclave on December 19, 2009.
According to a summons issued for Smith to appear in the Corporate Area Petty Sessions Court on Wednesday, January 20, the MP “unlawfully disobeyed the lawful order” of a police corporal to “move on and keep moving”, contrary to Section 20 of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Act.
Yesterday, the North West St Andrew MP failed to show for the hearing. Attorney Chris Tavares-Finson informed the court that Smith was unavoidable absent due to “personal difficulties”.
A new court date of June 10 was set.
Following the proceedings, Tavares-Finson told Chat! that his client did not set out to interfere with the police.
According to Tavares-Finson, Smith received a call from a person in the Mannings Hill Road area, off Red Hills Road, St Andrew that there was a shooting there.
The lawyer said that Smith went with the intention to “quell, control and disperse the crowd”. Tavares-Finson said that the police gave instructions for the crowd to vacate the area.
Similar instructions were issued to Smith, who did not see it necessary to leave at that point, according to Tavares-Finson.
Smith was then charged and issued the summons.
— Paul Henry
Read more in today’s Chat
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Former security minister and Member of Parliament (MP) Derrick Smith has found himself in trouble with the law.
The Government MP has been slapped with a charge of obstructing the police, stemming from an incident at the scene of a shooting in a Jamaica Labour Party enclave on December 19, 2009.
According to a summons issued for Smith to appear in the Corporate Area Petty Sessions Court on Wednesday, January 20, the MP “unlawfully disobeyed the lawful order” of a police corporal to “move on and keep moving”, contrary to Section 20 of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Act.
Yesterday, the North West St Andrew MP failed to show for the hearing. Attorney Chris Tavares-Finson informed the court that Smith was unavoidable absent due to “personal difficulties”.
A new court date of June 10 was set.
Following the proceedings, Tavares-Finson told Chat! that his client did not set out to interfere with the police.
According to Tavares-Finson, Smith received a call from a person in the Mannings Hill Road area, off Red Hills Road, St Andrew that there was a shooting there.
The lawyer said that Smith went with the intention to “quell, control and disperse the crowd”. Tavares-Finson said that the police gave instructions for the crowd to vacate the area.
Similar instructions were issued to Smith, who did not see it necessary to leave at that point, according to Tavares-Finson.
Smith was then charged and issued the summons.
— Paul Henry
Read more in today’s Chat
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