By RICARDO WELLS
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
WITH the fallout surrounding a video showing a Florida teen of Bahamian heritage being punched and pepper-sprayed by police in that state last week now intensifying, the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) called for the government to officially address the ordeal.
This comes as attorneys for 15-year-old Delucca Rolle, who The Tribune understands is a naturalised American citizen, yesterday met with the Florida State Attorney’s Office.
In a brief statement, PLP chairman Fred Mitchell yesterday referred to the ordeal as a “Bahamian citizen” being “brutalised in an interface with US policemen, by those policemen”.
Mr Mitchell in his statement suggested that as the official opposition, the PLP had carried out its own “independent checks,” and implored the Minnis administration to “give an official statement”.
According to Florida reports, Delucca was among a group of JP Taravella High School students who had gathered outside of McDonald’s last Thursday.
Officers from the Broward Sheriff’s Office responded to gathering shortly before 3pm, and an altercation ensued.
Various video recordings showed the teen at one point bending down to pick up something in the view of a deputy. The boy’s mother, who is from The Bahamas, told the Nassau Guardian her son had bent down to pick up a cell phone. She also said her son has Bahamian citizenship.
That deputy, later identified as Christopher Krickovich, appeared to take issue with Delucca’s action and sprayed the teen with pepper spray.
Subsequent to this, Mr Krickovich is seen grabbing and then slamming teen onto the concrete. The teen, while on the ground, is seen mounted by Mr Krickovich with the assistance of another deputy.
Mr Krickovich is then seen punching Delucca to the side of the face and repeatedly slamming his head into the concrete.
A bloody-face Delucca is finally seen in videos restrained by the officers.
Onlookers to the ordeal can be heard throughout the video recordings calling on the officers to show a level of restraint, with one bystander asking: “What are you doing? He’s bleeding!”
Another added: “He didn’t do anything.”
Mr Krickovich, who has been placed on leave following the incident, in his arrest report claimed Delucca took an aggressive stance toward officers and clenched his fists.
Mr Krickovich further suggested he was forced to push the teen’s head into the ground to free the teen’s right hand from under his body, according to Local10 in Florida.
The incident has garnered international attention and a tremendous amount of support from celebrities — all calling for justice in the matter.
Broward County Mayor Mark Bogen in tweet over the weekend called for Mr Krickovich to be fired outright.
NBA star LeBron James said the incident has made him concerned about the safety of his own kids.
Attempts by The Tribune to reach out to Delucca’s family yesterday were unsuccessful, with the only contact coming with representatives from the office of one of the teen’s new attorneys, Benjamin Crump.
Mr Crump, alongside fellow Florida attorney Sue Ann Robinson and Delucca’s mother and aunt, reportedly met with prosecutors from the Broward County State Attorney’s Office yesterday.
Mr Crump’s office said details related to the meeting will be made public in the coming days.
Meanwhile, when contacted for comment yesterday, Foreign Affairs Minister Darren Henfield said a statement from his ministry on the matter would be forthcoming at some point this week.
Comments
joeblow 4 years, 11 months ago
Seems more sensible to get the whole story BEFORE jumping to what could be an embarrassing conclusion!
DDK 4 years, 11 months ago
Monsters in uniform masquerading as law enforcing and abiding police - and we wonder where ours get their inspiration.........
geostorm 4 years, 11 months ago
The young man is on US soil with US citizenship, what can the Bahamas government say? Perhaps if it had occurred in another country other than the US, then the Bahamas would be in a better position to defend him as a Bahamian citizen.
He has already acquired the services of shady Benjamin Crump so, justice will be served!
Future 4 years, 11 months ago
That little Troglodyte knows what he did why he got his ass beat. The police have to do the jobs of the parents
DDK 4 years, 11 months ago
I believe he picked up a fallen cell phone.
sheeprunner12 4 years, 11 months ago
Why are so many white teachers and white policeman in working in American black and brown schools and neighborhoods?????? ................ I suppose that is how Spanish Wells and other "white" Bahamian communities feel here at home ......... SOCIALLY INVASIVE & VIOLATED.
White cops and teachers see black and brown people as irresponsible, threatening and uncontrollable as opposed to their ethnic group ......... hence the use of unjustifiable force or reactions.
Sickened 4 years, 11 months ago
There have been studies into why there isn't a better representation of minorities in the police force. From what I recall the need to have a high school diploma as well as pass an entrance test were the major reasons. Just look at our police force - many of them can't form proper sentences and can't write a report that can stand up to scrutiny in court.
rawbahamian 4 years, 11 months ago
So how do you explain the Police here using excessive force, methods etc against their OWN ETHNIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS or is that being caused by white people too ???
DDK 4 years, 11 months ago
That's just the same psycho bully syndrome
Sickened 4 years, 11 months ago
I recall hearing that the reason all the kids gathered there in the first place was because there was going to be an arranged fight between students (maybe just 2 students) and everyone else came to watch.
Sickened 4 years, 11 months ago
Lesson for young people... 1. if the cops are arresting someone, don't go grabbing things that are in the immediate vicinity and 2. if a cop pushes you away from an active and highly charged scene, don't play big and post up in his face. In other words... don't be a dumb ass. And PLEASE, if you do something stupid like this, DON'T say you're Bahamian!
geostorm 4 years, 11 months ago
well said @sickened! well said!
Clamshell 4 years, 11 months ago
There were TWO machine gun attacks in the Bahamas over the holy Easter holiday. So what are the PLP concerned about? Some teenager who now lives in Florida and got into a scuffle. In Florida. Yeah, this makes perfect sense.
rawbahamian 4 years, 11 months ago
I agree 110% !!! Why hasn't the Mitchell clown called for the government to address these home grown incidents ??? The teen in the video is a NATURALIZED AMERICAN, therefore HE SHOULD KNOW about the ramifications of NOT listening to an American law officer ! Also if he has dual citizenship like the report states his mother said, then why is that not being investigated. If the P.L.P. are looking for brownie points, then I suggest they find something viable to work with/on !!!
John 4 years, 11 months ago
Operation fast and furious still in action
Islangal1 4 years, 11 months ago
They are concerned about the BRUT force used by American law enforcement officers. But do nothing when the same or even worse happen home at the hands of Police and immigration officers? Shame on the PLP for trying to gain points at the expense of this your man. I'm sure his family is well on their way to see that these officers are punished to the full extent of state law. NO Bahamian law! I smell a lawsuit coming!
SP 4 years, 11 months ago
WOW! The video shows this big grown ass jackass cop assaulting this kid!
So, who is surprised that officer "Krickovich" claimed Delucca took an aggressive stance toward officers and "clenched his fists"? Clenching of one's fists is now a crime in the U.S.A.?
There are always 3 sides to a story, but there is only one truth. My not knowing the truth, I choose to abstain from further comment on Mr. Dellluca. Which Island is the "Deluccas" from anyway?
Officer Krickovich overly excessive actions are not surprising, and the exact reason I choose not to take my young adult family traveling in the U.S. for the last 10 years. There are far too many "Krickovich" types in the U.S. dressed in blue, that would take tremendous pleasure in gunning down young individuals of color. So they can keep their "United States", Land of the free horse shyt somewhere else.
When is the Bahamian government going to grow just one ball and put out travel warnings to Bahamians about these power-mad U.S. copos?
rawbahamian 4 years, 11 months ago
Good question, where are the DELUCCAS from and how did that name become Bahamian. It sounds more like he originated a little further south of Inagua !!!
DDK 4 years, 11 months ago
Delucca ROLLE
Bonefishpete 4 years, 11 months ago
Well look on the Brightside he won't have to empty the slop bucket in the Fort Lauderdale jail.
Clamshell 4 years, 11 months ago
Yeah ... American jails have actual flush toilets and running water.
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 11 months ago
I wish we could somehow turn Fweddy Boy over to that Broward Sheriff's Deputy.
Dawes 4 years, 11 months ago
Pretty much every day in this country someone is being beaten by a police officer or an immigration officer. We all know this, and this has been going on for years. This was something the PLP could have tried to stop when they were in power, but as usual they did nothing. Due to that i need not listen to Fred's words on what is happening in the US (even if i don't agree with what happened.).
licks2 4 years, 11 months ago
The pictures are there. . .our "sweet lil chile" gone up in the police face. . .like he want to fight. . .I don't know what else he expected to get. . .a cookie? However, those two officers had the child on the ground. . .neutralized. . . YET THE CONTINUED TO PUNCH HIM, BEAT HIS HEAD ON THE GROUND AND SIT ON HIS BACK. . .OBVIOUSLY THAT "LIL SKINNY" BOY COULD NOT BREATH PROPERLY WITH THAT BIG FAT MAN KNEELING ON HIS BACK! Them two officers are bad news. . .beating the snot out one lil rude tail boy!!
However, Fred Mitchell knows that duel citizens are explicitly told that neither government can protect you from any obligations of the other!! He is home and protected under the US constitution. . .BAHAMAS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT MATTER!!
Greentea 4 years, 11 months ago
the kid was not charged with anything and the officers were placed on leave. In the US at least there is a process. In the Bahamas the police can do this and more without a peep from politicians. The PLP need to stop the posturing. We cant even get the US to stop with the crazy, baseless warnings- so we certainly can't do a dam thing about this.
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