The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Staff Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

THE “frustrating” lack of communication from the Attorney General on Aaron Rolle’s death in police custody has stalled his family’s bid for justice, according to attorney Christina Galanos yesterday.

More than a year since his death in police custody was ruled unlawful by a coroner’s court, Ms Galanos said the family is waiting for the outcome of the AG’s review before they can move forward with a private prosecution.

She added that the family has opted to remain silent over the matter until Allyson Maynard-Gibson, the AG, has released a statement.

Ms Galanos said: “My position is I don’t want to go ahead and commence private prosecution at this time without hearing from [Attorney General] on what her position is, because according to the law she can stop a private prosecution, she has the power to. So I want to know the AG’s position and we’re waiting to see what they say. Eventually I am going to move forward with private prosecution.”

She added: “The AG told the public that she has put a legal team together and we want to know the update. She may take the position that she doesn’t think there should be litigation, or just that it won’t be done by the crown and that they would allow private prosecution. We can’t say what we’re going to do without first seeing what this legal team has concluded.”

It has been more than a full year since the AG confirmed to The Tribune on June 20, 2013, that her team was in receipt of the Coroner’s Court recommendations on the death in police custody, and were “working as hard as we can to make sure the public feels expedition”.

Last month, Mrs Maynard-Gibson said: “I have just asked the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions to report to me on the matter and I expect to have some news on that today or tomorrow where the progress is.”

Up to Monday, the AG had no comment when asked for her department’s position on the matter.

Yesterday, Ms Galanos said: “It’s frustrating and I think something ought to be said as to what ought to be done. I don’t have a feeling as to why, but I know [Attorney General] also said that this matter should be given priority because it’s the police - she said that. The question is why hasn’t it?”

Rolle, 20, died at the Southern Police Station on February 8, 2013, 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.

On May 7 last year, a four women and one man jury found that the force police used against Rolle while in custody was unjustifiable.

The coroner’s court does not determine guilt or make any findings or suggestions of criminal, civil or disciplinary liability. The role of the court is to determine who the deceased was, how the deceased died, when, where and by what means.

At the close of the inquest into Rolle’s death Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez recommended the file be reviewed to determine whether action should be taken against the officers, and also forwarded to the Commissioner of Police to conduct disciplinary proceedings against the men; surveillance, with the control of cameras and recordings monitored by a separate department at Police headquarters or elsewhere; and for police officers to receive training in the proper restraining of suspects at least every two to three years.