The lack of criminal charges in the CJ Weekes case points to a broader, systemic issue of police operating without fear of repercussions, according to Lawyer Jomo Thomas.
Thomas warns that when officers commit reckless acts without facing consequences, it signals to the rest of the force that such behaviour is acceptable.
To underline this systemic failure, Thomas recounted the shocking 2008 case of 16-year-old Jamal Jackson. Police officers savagely beat the teenager, putting him into a coma for a week.
In a rare instance of accountability, the officers were tried and convicted under the direction of then-DPP Colin Williams, and their convictions were ultimately upheld by the court of appeal.
However, the pursuit of justice was severely undermined by the government’s subsequent actions.
Despite the upheld criminal convictions for the brutal beating, the Thomas said the Ralph Gonsalves administration rehired the offending officers.
Thomas pointed out that these officers are still active on the police force today.
He argues that such decisions actively destroy the deterrent effect of criminal prosecution, leaving citizens vulnerable while the state simultaneously aggressively pursued minor, politically charged criminal cases, such as the prosecution of Adriana King.