jacques
11-03-2007, 09:52 AM
Something in today's Guardian to give us that nice warm feeling inside that everything is under control.......
Policeman freed of killing schoolboy
BY SASCHA WILSON
Guardian South Bureau
Tempers flared outside the San Fernando High Court yesterday after a jury found Police Constable Sunil Tota-Maharaj not guilty of killing a schoolboy during the Borough Day celebrations in Point Fortin two years ago.
Crying out for justice, furious relatives and friends of 19-year-old Mervyn Caton Jr converged in front of the court to express outrage over the judgment.
Officers of the Crime Suppression Unit were on hand to maintain order as tears flowed and emotions ran high among the small group.
The outbursts lasted for about 20 minutes, with some young men—friends and relatives of the boy—threatening to take the law into their hands.
An irate man shouted: “He (Tota-Maharaj) will not last the night...You’ll have to ship him out.”
Caton Jr’s father, Mervyn Caton, blamed the trial judge for the outcome of the case.
“All the witnesses for the prosecution said he shot the boy,” he said.
“He (the judge) disregarded every bit of that evidence and he push in their (jury) head for them to make it accidental.”
On the brink of tears, Caton added: “He direct the jury on what to say...He should resign,” he added.
“That is not justice. This is the worst I have ever seen. This was a clear-cut case.”
For security reasons, a court official said, Tota-Maharaj, 34, of Mt Lambert, and his relatives were whisked away through the back entrance of the courthouse to prevent any clash between them and Caton Jr’s relatives.
Tota-Maharaj is the son of former UNC Senator Vimala Tota-Maharaj and grandson of secretary general of the Maha Sabha Sat Maharaj.
The State’s case against Tota-Maharaj, led by Theodore Guerra, SC, and state attorney Aden Stroude, was that he deliberately shot Caton Jr in the head at point-blank range with a mini Uzi sub-machine gun in front of Togetherness Bar at Egypt Village in Point Fortin on May 6, 2005.
Tota-Maharaj, then assigned to the Inter-Agency Task Force, had been detailed to provide extra security for the Borough Day celebrations.
Caton Jr, a student of Siparia Senior Comprehensive School, remained in a coma for 13 days before he died at the San Fernando General Hospital.
But Tota-Maharaj testified before Justice Maharaj and the 12-member jury in the Third Criminal Court that he was placing something into his car when he felt a tug on the strap of his gun.
While turning, Tota-Maharaj said, his gun accidentally went off.
He said he saw Caton Jr place his hands on his head and fall to the ground.
Tota-Maharaj was defended by attorneys Israel Khan, SC, and Ulric Skeritt.
Yesterday, after the judge directed the jury on the law, they deliberated for an hour before returning the verdict in favour of the policeman.
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited
Policeman freed of killing schoolboy
BY SASCHA WILSON
Guardian South Bureau
Tempers flared outside the San Fernando High Court yesterday after a jury found Police Constable Sunil Tota-Maharaj not guilty of killing a schoolboy during the Borough Day celebrations in Point Fortin two years ago.
Crying out for justice, furious relatives and friends of 19-year-old Mervyn Caton Jr converged in front of the court to express outrage over the judgment.
Officers of the Crime Suppression Unit were on hand to maintain order as tears flowed and emotions ran high among the small group.
The outbursts lasted for about 20 minutes, with some young men—friends and relatives of the boy—threatening to take the law into their hands.
An irate man shouted: “He (Tota-Maharaj) will not last the night...You’ll have to ship him out.”
Caton Jr’s father, Mervyn Caton, blamed the trial judge for the outcome of the case.
“All the witnesses for the prosecution said he shot the boy,” he said.
“He (the judge) disregarded every bit of that evidence and he push in their (jury) head for them to make it accidental.”
On the brink of tears, Caton added: “He direct the jury on what to say...He should resign,” he added.
“That is not justice. This is the worst I have ever seen. This was a clear-cut case.”
For security reasons, a court official said, Tota-Maharaj, 34, of Mt Lambert, and his relatives were whisked away through the back entrance of the courthouse to prevent any clash between them and Caton Jr’s relatives.
Tota-Maharaj is the son of former UNC Senator Vimala Tota-Maharaj and grandson of secretary general of the Maha Sabha Sat Maharaj.
The State’s case against Tota-Maharaj, led by Theodore Guerra, SC, and state attorney Aden Stroude, was that he deliberately shot Caton Jr in the head at point-blank range with a mini Uzi sub-machine gun in front of Togetherness Bar at Egypt Village in Point Fortin on May 6, 2005.
Tota-Maharaj, then assigned to the Inter-Agency Task Force, had been detailed to provide extra security for the Borough Day celebrations.
Caton Jr, a student of Siparia Senior Comprehensive School, remained in a coma for 13 days before he died at the San Fernando General Hospital.
But Tota-Maharaj testified before Justice Maharaj and the 12-member jury in the Third Criminal Court that he was placing something into his car when he felt a tug on the strap of his gun.
While turning, Tota-Maharaj said, his gun accidentally went off.
He said he saw Caton Jr place his hands on his head and fall to the ground.
Tota-Maharaj was defended by attorneys Israel Khan, SC, and Ulric Skeritt.
Yesterday, after the judge directed the jury on the law, they deliberated for an hour before returning the verdict in favour of the policeman.
©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited