Shrewsbury murder case rescheduled to Feb 20

WESTERN BUREAU: ONSTABLES KENROY Hines and Damane Campbell, the two policemen charged in connection with the 2013 shooting deaths of three male relatives in Shrewsbury, Westmoreland, are to make their next appearance in the Trelawny Circuit Court for trial on February 20 next year.

CHines and Campbell, who are charged with the murders of brothers Andrew and Triston Brydson and their cousin Kingsley Green, were given the new court date and had their bails extended when they appeared in court at Duncans, Trelawny on Monday, as the case was to be assigned to a new prosecutor.

It was disclosed that the reassignment was to take place because the prosecutor who previously had conduct of the matter was outside of the jurisdiction.

The defence attorneys for the two policemen were also absent from Monday’s proceedings, further necessitating the trial’s rescheduling.

START PREVENTED

On at least five past court dates, as far back as March 7, 2014, the trial of Hines and Campbell has been prevented from starting due to several factors, including the absence of attorneys, despite the prosecution’s readiness to begin.

The Brydson brothers and Green were killed in Shrewsbury, Westmoreland, on March 15, 2013 by a police team which claimed the men had engaged them in a shoot-out.

However, the killing of the three relatives, who were influential members of their community, sparked several days of protest across Hanover, Westmoreland and St Elizabeth, by residents and relatives of the men, who strongly disputed the police’s account of the shooting and demanded justice for their deaths.

The deceased men, all members of a community church choir, had been described by residents of Shrewsbury as “the very best of the best” and enviable role models.