By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Senior Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

ANDREW Omar Davis, a 43-year-old convicted of the 1999 murder of Constable Jimmy Ambrose and the attempted murder of Marcian Scott, died at the Department of Correctional Services on Wednesday night after complaining about shortness of breath.

A person close to him who declined to give her identity, said Davis began complaining of illness on Saturday and believed prison officials did little to address his concerns.

“He told me they say don’t bring him in the medical area because people there have COVID,” she said.

“But he said the medical people were monitoring him. Sunday he told me he was having chills and had no appetite and that when he tried eating things it had no taste.

“Wednesday he called me and said he feeling a little better but he wasn’t talking much, he said he still couldn’t breathe. He WhatsApp me (at) 6.19pm that day and said the fever coming back again and that he would call me back.

“It was like he was trying to catch himself but couldn’t. Someone then called me and said he collapsed and was lying on the floor for an hour before anyone came and get him. They say when they lift him he was foaming from the mouth and he was unresponsive and they took him to medical.”

People close to Davis believe he was not given proper attention in the prison. One person said they were prevented from taking him his prescribed medication earlier this summer. The prison has been on lockdown since March because of COVID-19.

Bahamas Department of Corrections Commissioner Charles Murphy did not answer The Tribune’s calls or respond to messages before press time yesterday.

In a voice note Davis sent from prison to someone close to him before he died, he complained about trembling and being unable to breathe. In a separate voice note, he accused officials of “running a game around”.

In another voice note he said: “They ain’t giving me nothing. I send the commissary list and nothing on it healthy for me. They playing a game man. I feel bad bey, this fever killing me, you know? Like I weak, weak, weak, I can’t press no button, man my bones and my hip bone.”

Detective Constable Ambrose, an officer in plainclothes, was shot and killed in 1999 outside a night club after a fight between two rival groups broke out.

During the fight, a young man ran out of the club and approached D/C Ambrose and Scott. A short time later four men came to the club’s entrance and exchanged words with the young man.

D/C Ambrose instructed the young man to go to the police station, but the four men shot in their direction.

Scott hid behind a car and eventually made his way to the door of the club. He claimed he looked back and saw both Stubbs and Davis shoot Constable Ambrose.

Stubbs and Davis were first convicted in May 2002 but their convictions were overturned on appeal. In a second retrial in July 2013, the men were convicted of murder and attempted murder.