A fiery dispute has erupted between prominent defense attorney Grant Connell and St. Vincent and the Grenadines top COP Enville Williams. The controversy follows a police press release accusing the lawyer of discouraging the public from surrendering illegal firearms.
Appearing on the Hot FM radio show, Connell vehemently denied making the statements in court, producing a legal transcript to back his defense while launching a scathing critique of the Police Commissioner’s leadership and the severely under-resourced state of the police force.
The controversy began when the police force issued a public statement addressing comments allegedly made by Connell during proceedings at the Serious Offenses Court. According to the press release, the attorney suggested that citizens wishing to surrender illegal firearms should “be careful which police officer they approach on the basis that the weapon may return to unlawful circulation”.
The police categorically rejected the claim, labeling it a “dangerous suggestion” and a “grave allegation”. The release stated that no evidence had been provided to support the idea that surrendered weapons re-enter criminal possession, and emphasized that such unproven public advice creates hesitation that directly threatens public safety.
During his radio appearance, Connell pushed back aggressively against the Commissioner of Police, whom he referred to as “Enville”. Connell stated categorically that the alleged comments “did not form part of the proceedings in the serious offenses court”. To prove his point, Connell presented a physical copy of the court transcript to the radio hosts. Radio host Chris reviewed the document live on air and confirmed that the transcript did not contain the contentious statement.
Connell criticized the Commissioner for allegedly failing to follow standard procedure, arguing that the police chief should have requested the $5 court transcript to verify the facts before issuing a defamatory public release. “Before you engage your mouth, must engage your brain,” Connell remarked.
However, when pressed by radio host Luke Boyea on whether he might have made the statement outside of the Serious Offenses Court, Connell evaded the question. He dismissed the inquiry, stating that he does not “deal with hearsay” and focused strictly on the fact that the official document clears him of making the statement in court.
Using the platform to pivot from his personal defense, Connell leveled heavy accusations regarding the mismanagement of the police force. He blamed the current Commissioner for the nation’s crime trajectory and exposed startling alleged resource deficits hindering local law enforcement.
Connell did not mince words in his final assessment of the leadership of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force, bringing a cake to the studio to mockingly celebrate the Commissioner and outright calling him the “worst individual that ever sat down in the chair of the commissioner of police”.
The Police Force has not yet issued a follow-up statement regarding Connell’s transcript defense or his allegations of severe equipment shortages.