The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

AARON Rolle was severely beaten and left in a cell to die because he did not receive proper medical treatment, Christina Galanos told the Coroner’s Court yesterday.

Ms Galanos made her statements to the five-

member jury during her closing submission.

She told the jury that despite what Aaron was accused of doing, it did not give the officers in question the right to be “judge, jury and executioner.”

Rolle, 20, died at the Southern Police Station on February 8, hours after he was taken into custody for questioning in connection with an armed robbery and escape.

A pathologist report later concluded that he died from haemorrhaging and a ruptured intestine, caused by blunt force trauma to the chest.

Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez heads the inquiry. Attorney Christina Galanos represents Rolle’s immediate family and Wellington Olander represents the officers.

Ms Galanos urged the jury not to consider Aaron’s reputation and character when making their decision because it is irrelevant. She said he died an innocent man as he did not stand trial, there was no verdict and he was not sentenced.

Ms Galanos said that anyone can end up in police custody and whether you are a “bum or a professional” you should feel safe. She said Aaron is not on trial and he was denied the right to defend his name because of the injuries, she maintains, he sustained while in police custody.

Ms Galanos said one of the “most ridiculous tales” told by the defence is that Aaron had a pre-existing disease and was “weak and frail” when he was taken into custody. However, she said “miraculously Aaron was able to muster up super human strength and lunge out of a window with aluminium panels, in an attempt to escape.

She contended that the only way Aaron could fit through the narrow aluminium panels is if he “transformed into a snake or lizard and slithered away.”

Ms Galanos also pointed out that pathologist Caryn Sands testified that Aaron had no defence wounds and the officers has no injuries. Despite, earlier testimony by officers 2126 Akiel Smith and 2648 Carl Smith that there was a struggle when Aaron allegedly attempted to escape.

She said the law allows that force can be used on a person attempting to escape, but said too much force was used in this case.

Ms Galanos asked the jury to consider whether Aaron was beaten for attempting to escape or if he attempted to escape because he was being beaten. She said the action and inaction of the officers at the Southern Police Station, led to Aaron Rolle dying a painful death.

However, Lennox Coleby, who delivered closing submissions on behalf of the officers, said there is no evidence that they did anything wrong and they should return an open verdict.

Mr Colbey said PC 2126 Smith and PC 2648 had nothing to do with Rolle’s death and the court has still not answered what caused Aaron’s injuries.

He said the pathologist testified that Aaron died from blunt force trauma, but Aaron’s blood was not tested for any other illness that he may have had that could have caused his death.

He said the officers in question acted with restraint, well within their training and law and they did nothing to kill him, they simply prevented him from attempting to escape.

Mr Coleby said Aaron was suffering from internal injuries prior to him being taken into police custody and his bruises were not “new.”

He said the officers used force to restrain Aaron at around  7pm on February 8 and Aaron died 12 hours later. Mr Coleby said there is no way 2 litres of intestinal fluid could leak through a hole the size of a pen and kill Aaron in that short period of time.

While he admitted that some of the injuries were caused by the officers as they were trying to subdue Aaron, he said none of those injuries amounted to his death.

Mr Colebly said no crime was committed and the officers did nothing wrong.

The inquest continues on May 7, when the Coroner is expected to give the jury their instructions.