Suspect loses his shoes on the way to court

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A LAWYER voiced his displeasure at his client being barefoot while being escorted to court by police.

Defence attorney Stanley Rolle branded the spectacle 'demeaning' and claimed his client, 28-year-old Adrian Gibson, was beaten while in police custody.

Gibson, of Joe Farrington Road, along with 22-year-old Clemeson Edgecombe, of Springfield Road, were arraigned before Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez yesterday charged together in connection with a hold up of an off-duty policeman that turned fatal.

It is claimed that both men on the night in question, while armed with a handgun, held up Dennis Clarke, 56, and robbed him of a $1,000 gold chain before murdering him.

Clarke, of Kennedy Subdivision, was outside the Prince Charles Drive Superwash laundromat last Thursday night when he was approached by two men, robbed and shot.

He died of his injuries after being taken to hospital.

Gibson and Edgecome are believed to be the culprits behind the attack and are charged with murder and armed robbery.

They were not required to enter a plea to the charges and were remanded to Her Majesty's Prison until completion of trial.

They will be tried before the Supreme Court after the prosecution presents a Voluntary Bill of Indictment against the duo.

Before the two were remanded, Tonique Lewis, defending Edgecombe, complained of police brutality against her client and said she was denied access to him.

Mr Rolle made his submissions for the record and said it was demeaning for his client to be treated in such a way.

Gibson left court barefooted and on one leg. He had earlier complained about his left leg being in pain because of a piece of steel reportedly placed inside it from a surgery years back.

He and Edgecombe return to court on August 22 to be served with the VBIs.

Comments

positiveinput says...

Yes we do want the criminals off the streets, however execute your duties professionally to ensure there is no loop hole for these men if guilty to return to the streets. It isn't hard to provide them with shoes, come on the famous Barefoot Bandit was given a pair.

Posted 8 June 2012, 12:17 a.m. Suggest removal

myopinion says...

If u notice in picture 1...the same suspect was wearing shoes...because of his resistance to keep on walking his shoes came off...which resulted in him being dragged into court

Posted 8 June 2012, 10:13 a.m. Suggest removal

positiveinput says...

And that officer wouldn't be using a cell phone by no chance while assisting in the escort of a prisioner aye.

Posted 8 June 2012, 12:20 a.m. Suggest removal

concernedcitizen says...

drag him into court on his behind if he won,t walk ..i,m so tired of these lawyers talking bout the police beat him ,or its demeaning w/ out shoes ,,how do u think the man they killed over a chain felt w/ that gun in his face just before he was murdered

Posted 8 June 2012, 11:31 a.m. Suggest removal

Addmoreandcharge says...

I find the comments by concernedcitizen to be greatly disturbing. We do not yet live in a fully fledgling Police State even though we are almost there, still a man or woman is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, no matter what the circumstances. I hope you never sit on a jury, I pity our Criminal Justice System if you ever do.

Posted 10 June 2012, 7:14 a.m. Suggest removal

concernedcitizen says...

it seems people on the jury let every off latley ...i,m a law abiding citizen that had guns in my face twice and the little bit i worked for stolen ,,,,police state ??,crimminals got guns ,MP,s got guns and here we are sitting ducks .....i was a bad boy when i was younger and God helped me change ,,,i know what these animals are thinking ,,,next you will tell me the mandatory sentences are to long ,and murderers should get bail ..we are a small country the police know who the bad guys are ,,there not making mistakes and picking up choir boys...

Posted 10 June 2012, 9:23 a.m. Suggest removal

BahaMan says...

addmoreandcharge you are A sensible Bahamian!
SMH at these wanna be gangstas!

Posted 11 June 2012, 10:26 a.m. Suggest removal

positiveinput says...

myopinion I guest my comment wasn't clear. What I was saying in a nut shell was for officers to carry out their duties professionally. By this, maybe if the officer whom appears to be bexting wasn't he would have notice when the prisioner shoe fell off. Yes it could be seen he had shoes earlier so where were they then. If they fell off allow the prisioner to put them back on or place his shoes in his waistband. Like I stated, the Barefoot Bandit never had shoes but was given, so to wear shoes show that officers find it humane that a prisioner must have, so why give a Lawyer that avenue to argue for his clients rights. Although an individual may be considered a criminal, until the courts find him guilty carry out police duties effective to ensure no loop hold can be find to make a guilty man walk free.

Posted 11 June 2012, 10:38 a.m. Suggest removal

positiveinput says...

And for concerncitizen, when you drag a suspect into court on his behind, dont wonder why he wins his case claiming - judge you see how they drag me and all I was saying to them was let me put my shoes on cause the ground hot. And judge the police beat me to get me sign that statement. Stop giving these individuals a trump card to use against you. You express your past but I also experienced being robbed, having my house broken into, my car stolen, but to give a 'suspect' the benefit of claiming police brutality with the chance of winning a case should be the last objective.

Posted 11 June 2012, 10:46 a.m. Suggest removal

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