By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

ELEVEN police officers and the families seeking justice for police-involved killings were left in limbo yesterday as acting Coroner Kara Turnquest Deveaux announced that the court is still waiting for the acting Director of Public Prosecutions to decide what charges, if any, the officers will face.

During yesterday’s committal hearing, the coroner told the officers the DPP would review their case files before making a decision on charges, adding that the review is a “priority” for the DPP. The officers remain on bail and must return to court on November 15. They face potential criminal proceedings due to adverse findings in the inquests about their actions.

Three others — Shando King, dismissed from the police force earlier this year for unrelated reasons, former Constable 4185 Ferguson, and former Corporal 3139 Denzil Deveaux — once again failed to appear despite outstanding arrest warrants.

On the courthouse steps, Frederick Major, father of one of the deceased men, expressed frustration over the delays and the fact that some officers are still at large.

David Cash, representing the estates of four victims, has said he expects the officers to be charged with manslaughter. Meanwhile, K Melvin Munroe, representing the majority of the officers, has said he anticipates his clients will be “vindicated” if the matters proceed to trial.

The coroner’s decision to refer the officers to the Supreme Court followed months of uncertainty about how the cases would proceed. Coroner’s Court inquests do not determine criminal liability, leaving the DPP to review the evidence and decide if charges are warranted. Acting DPP Cordel Frazier began issuing guidance to Commissioner Fernander as early as April, but the commissioner did not disclose the details to the public or take immediate action.

Last week, Commissioner Fernander attributed the officers’ failure to appear in court for their initial committal hearing to a “communication breakdown”, and said the three people with arrest warrants are no longer members of the force.