The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE lawyer for a community activist once accused of assaulting police officers at his home believes that the Royal Bahamas Police Force must not allow a few of its officers to “allow their good reputation and integrity to be damaged”.

Troy Kellman made the statement on Friday, a day after Magistrate Saboula Swain dismissed charges of disorderly behaviour, obscene language, assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest against his client, Valentino “Scrooge” Brown.

It was claimed that on March 23, the Market Street community leader acted in a disorderly manner and cursed police when they appeared at his home. It was also alleged that Mr Brown resisted and assaulted a policeman when the officer moved to arrest him. However, Mr Brown denied the allegations and maintained he was the victim of aggression by police. He also alleged that he was slammed to the ground and nearly rendered unconscious by a knee placed firmly on his neck.

The magistrate, in dismissing the case, condemned police brutality and said it needed to stop. The judge also cited the words of Martin Luther King Jr, saying: “An act of injustice to one person is an act of injustice against us all”.

Mr Kellman told The Tribune: “In my opinion, the evidence was clear that officers exercised excessive and unnecessary force when they pulled Mr Brown from inside his house and (allegedly) slammed him to the ground without proper cause.

“The officers’ account of the events was inconsistent and grossly exaggerated at best. Not every act of resisting arrest is unlawful and this is one of those cases.

“The magistrate stated that it is obvious from the evidence that Mr Brown was on his property when the incident occurred and that the police entered without a warrant and (allegedly) brutalised him.

“Not all police officers behave this way, only a handful of bad apples continue to give good, hard working police officers a bad name. The police cannot afford to allow their good reputation and integrity to be damaged because of the careless acts of a few,” Mr Kellman added.

His sentiments echoed that of Mr Brown when he was released on bail following his arraignment on the charges.

In March, the activist told this newspaper: “There are some very good officers who are on duty that represent the Royal Bahamas Police Force to the fullest and I respect them but there are some who should not be in the uniform at all because of their attitude towards the citizens.”

Mr Brown previously stressed that the incident will not discourage his civic duty to assist the police in any way he can in the future but noted that “me being in this problem now, it brings a wider focus on what actually happens to people.”

His acquittal ended a nine-month saga involving 10 hearings at the Nassau and South Streets Magistrate’s Court.