The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Magistrate Gomez condemned the high levels of crime during the arraignment of several men charged with crimes committed at the New Year's Day Junkanoo Parade.

His comments on the issue that has plagued the country for all of 2011 came during the arraignment of three men, whom he chastised for their actions at the holiday parade.

The chief magistrate had first reprimanded 22-year-old Jamie McKinney of Pinewood Gardens, who pleaded guilty to throwing a cup of Kalik at someone he claimed had done the same to him and his "girl".

McKinney said the cup did not hit the person and "did not even get past the barricade."

After sarcastically questioning the accused as to whether "having so much Kalik that it (the cup) couldn't go far", Chief Magistrate Gomez got serious and reprimanded him.

"Two wrongs don't make a right," he told McKinney. "Somebody's got to be smart enough to walk away. That's one of the reasons we have so much crime. Nobody wants to walk away."

The unemployed resident was given leniency as it was his first offence. He ordered him to do 20 hours of community service with a donation of $100 to charitable organizations.

Shaquille Culmer, 18, the second of three reprimanded, had been initially granted $2,000 bail after his guilty plea to throwing objects to the annoyance and endangerment of a police officer, however, it was not accepted when he later denied throwing the objects.

Minutes after the accused changed his plea to guilty, he was asked to give an explanation for his actions.

Culmer explained that where the incident happened, near Bank of The Bahamas on Shirley Street, he was trying to go home but there was a "big crowd" and bottles were being thrown. He said the bottle he threw did not hit anyone, but hit a wall.

Chief Magistrate Gomez, not believing him, asked, "You think that makes sense?"

After allowing the prosecution to read the facts surrounding the incident, it was revealed that shortly before 10am, police were on patrol of the Shirley and Charlotte Streets area during the parade when they saw a man in blue jeans, red striped shirt and white tennis shoes throwing bottles into a crowd.

"Why were you throwing bottles into a crowd?" Chief Magistrate Gomez asked.

The accused stumbled over his explanation. Magistrate Gomez revealed that a young girl on a passing float had to be taken down after she was hit in the head with a bottle.

Not accepting any further explanation from the accused, the magistrate said: "I'll see you on Thursday morning. You will be remanded into custody until then."

He told the accused that persons like himself were ruining the fun of Junkanoo and by doing so "causing innocent people to suffer".

"You could've caused a stampede out there and innocent people could've gotten crushed because of your stupidity," he added.

Culmer was not the only accused to change his plea to guilty. Ran Rolle, 20, of Ragged Island Street admitted that it was indeed his blue and black folding knife found on a friend of his at the parade.

He was asked, "Why would you carry a knife out to Junkanoo? You know it's illegal why take that chance?"

Rolle explained that he didn't have any intention of hurting anyone with his "box cutter," which he normally used on his job site at the Atlantis Resort.

Chief Magistrate Gomez retorted: "So you intended to open up some boxes at Junkanoo? You'd like your mother to get cut with a box cutter at Junkanoo?"

"No," was the accused's answer to both questions.

Speaking again on crime, and the police's plea for people not to bring weapons to Junkanoo, the magistrate said "a lot of it could be avoided if you listen to simple instructions."

He told the accused that "in the meantime you are remanded until Thursday."

"I want you to think on the situation and then get back to me on that," the magistrate said.