Man sues state for false imprisonment
November 17, 2008
A man who was freed by the Court of Appeal in 2003 after spending almost three years in prison for a crime he did not commit is suing the Government, a policeman and the complainant.
Neville Williams, a 28-year-old, construction worker of Maryland, St Andrew, who was convicted of rape and sentenced in May 2001 to seven years' imprisonment, is seeking damages for false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. In the alternative, he is seeking damages for negligence.
Williams, who is being represented in the civil suit by attorneys-at-law Andre Earle and Anna Gracie, is contending that the police did not investigate the case properly.
After Williams was convicted, it was discovered that DNA evidence was not given at his trial.
Dr Randolph Williams, who represented Williams on appeal, made an application to call fresh evidence. Williams is contending that DNA
results were available before the trial but was not collected by the police.
DNA tests
The analyst testified in the Court of Appeal that the DNA of the semen found on the complainant's underwear and the DNA of the semen found on Williams' underwear was different and did not match....
Author: Barbara Gayle
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
