Ward breaks down during Armadale testimony
August 14, 2009
A TEARFUL 14-year-old ward yesterday caused the commission of enquiry to take an early break as tears rolled down her cheek when she was asked about a colleague who got burnt during the May 22 fire at Armadale Juvenile Correctional Centre.
"Her whole body had burns, from her head to her toe," the girl said before pausing.
"Do I have to talk about it?" she asked in a lowered voice.
"Her skin come off," she continued. However, the young girl did not get any further as she began to cry, causing the 12th day of the commission of enquiry to take a break approximately 15 minutes before the usual time, as the ward was allowed time to recover.
Objections overruled
It was this incident that caused retired Justice Paul Harrison, commissioner of the enquiry, to place a 20-minute time frame on the cross examination of each ward by each attorney when the enquiry resumed in the afternoon. While there were objections from Jacqueline Samuels-Brown, who represents the Office of the Children's Advocate, and Howard Hamilton
, who is representing the Office of the Public Defender, Justice Harrison made no changes.
The 14-year-old ward told the enquiry yesterday that, when they refused to listen to a colleague's request to calm down, she heard the policeman say "talking nah help" before leaving Armadale and returning "with a container in his hand".
Tear gas thrown by cop
She said the container was round with a ring on top and she saw the officer throw the object into the building through the front window. The ward said she knew it was tear gas, as she had seen it used by police in a previous situation....
Author: Kimesha Walters
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
