Two Jamaican Officers Cleared in 2013 Triple Killing Case in Westmoreland

Jamaica: Two police officers were officially acquitted by the jury on Wednesday, May 13, after battling for 13 years with the three counts of murder charges of three men in Shrewsbury, Westmoreland. Constables Damane Campbell and Kenroy Hinds were officially cleared of all three counts of murder on Wednesday.

According to police reports, both the officers appeared before the Home Circuit Court in Kingston but due to no submission of the case by the defence counsel, all the jury members entered a verdict of acquittal and cleared the names of the officers from the case.

Reportedly, the judge who presided over the four-week trial upheld no-case submissions after the attorneys failed to submit the case and evidence to support their claims. The jury then dismissed the case due to the lack or insufficient evidence presented by the prosecutors to support the matter and also on the behalf of failure of submission of case.

The reports stated that the charges or case stem from the incident that occurred on March 15, 2013, when three men identified as Andrew and Trystan Brydson, and their cousin Kingsley Green, were fatally shot by these two officers.

The officers claimed that they received information of illegal weapons at the location following which they went to Shrewsbury where they were engaged into a fierce gun battle with the armed men. During the exchange of gunshots three men were killed and reportedly two firearms (an assault rifle and a handgun) were recovered from the scene.

At that time, this incident triggered an intense, multi-day community protests from the people of Westmoreland and Lacovia who strictly condemned the act of the officers and demanded full accountability from the police. Following which the independent investigation by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) launched their full investigation into the matter and formed charges against these officers.