The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A SECOND police officer on Friday testified of recovering a loaded gun from the underwear of a man who denied being in possession of an unlicensed firearm during his first court appearance.

In January, Damil Campbell appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney after he was accused of being in possession of a .40 pistol and a silver magazine containing eight rounds of ammunition.

When he was initially arraigned on the charges, he denied the allegations and the matter was adjourned for trial.

When one of the arresting officers, Police Corporal Marcian Frazier, testified in March he said he found the weapon in Campbell’s groin area after noticing a hard object in his pants when he searched him.

On Friday, his partner PC 3827 Chavez Sawyer told the court that he and PC Frazier were on mobile patrol in the Kemp Road area when they saw a blue Chevy vehicle attempt to enter the roadway after emerging from a vacant lot.

He said when they turned on the police lights and fog horns to beckon the vehicle to stop, the car, which was occupied by three men, began to then reverse into the vacant lot.

PC Sawyer said he and PC Frazier then got out of their patrol car and shouted commands for the car to stop. He said when the vehicle eventually came to a halt, he ordered the occupants to get out and informed them they would be searched for dangerous drugs and firearms.

The court was told that a search of Campbell led to the discovery of a black Smith & Wesson .40 pistol with eight live rounds of ammunition inside his boxer briefs.

Campbell is represented by attorney Wendawn Frazier. When she cross-examined PC Sawyer, he said the lighting conditions on the night of the arrest were very bright due to the presence of streetlights and the illumination coming from the police sirens.

When asked what had become of the other two suspects, PC Sawyer said he was not the investigating officer and only carried out the arrest.

“I did my job,” he stated. “I locked them up in reference to the offence and the investigation was (conducted) by officers at the Criminal Investigations Department”.

Officer Sawyer was the last witness to take the stand for the Crown. After the prosecution closed their case on Friday, Mrs Frazier told the court that her client intended to present a no case submission.

The case continues August 16.