Woman beaten by cops appears in court
May 19, 2006
MARGARET and Leroy Berry, the couple whose beating by members of the Island Special Constabulary Force (ISCF) last Wednesday sparked widespread public outrage, appeared in court yesterday but the police file on the beating incident was not available when their case was mentioned.
When the case file was located later in the afternoon, presiding magistrate Judith Pusey ordered that the Berrys be re-summoned to appear in court on June 1.
The two were beaten last week after the police accused Berry of illegally operating a taxi with his car.
One of the officers was said to have asked Berry for his car documents after accusing him of operating his car as an illegal taxi. Berry denied the accusation and an altercation developed, during which the officer began to strike Berry with a baton.
Berry's wife allegedly alighted from the car and jumped between the officer and her husband, attempting to prevent further blows. She was, however, beaten by the male officers and pepper sprayed in the eyes by a policewoman.
A photograph of the beating on the front page of the Observer led to a probe into the incident, and a day later it was announced that ISCF Commandant William Malabver was to be taken off frontline duties, pending the outcome of the investigations.
But the Island Special Constabulary Force Officers Association says their commandant was unfairly treated.
Author: Observer Reporter
Source: Jamaica Observer
