The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

A SUPREME Court judge rejected an application from Azario Major’s family to be included as respondents to a constitutional motion seeking to overturn the Coroner’s Court finding that Major’s death was a homicide by manslaughter.

The judge argued that the deceased’s family had no right to be heard in the matter.

Four officers involved in Major’s death want the Coroner’s Court ruling overturned, arguing pre-trial publicity prevented a fair inquest.

The attorney general and the “Coroner of the Coroner’s Court” are the first and second respondents; the family is not a party to the proceedings.

The constitutional motion argues that a widely circulated video discussion of Major’s death unfairly prejudiced the inquest.

Facebook user “ChristianAdamG” posted the video in April, which has been viewed thousands of times.

In an affidavit, an officer called the footage “a highly inaccurate damaging narrative”.

Officers want the Coroner’s Court finding overturned, arguing the coroner “failed and/or refused to refer the constitutional application to the Supreme Court”; “has no jurisdiction or right by law to refuse any constitutional application or point raised on behalf of the applicant”; “that the “charges of homicide by way of murder, homicide by way of manslaughter and justifiable homicide are flawed”; and “that the evidence placed before the court was evidence that, if heard, and was decided upon by an impartial and independent tribunal would have been in the applicant’s favour”.

The four officers, Inspector Saunders, Sergeant Sweeting, Sergeant Johnson and Corporal Rolle, were in court yesterday, as was Fredia Major, Major’s sister.

The matter was heard before Justice Franklyn Williams.

The case was adjourned to July 4.