ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder. (File photo)
By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
ATTORNEY General Ryan Pinder said the government is working to reduce the backlog of police-involved killing cases by increasing staff capacity at the Coroner’s Court.
Mr Pinder said when the Davis administration assumed office, it found several challenges with the Coroner’s Court.
For one, there was the issue of staffing shortages as there was only one Coroner’s Court magistrate and one police officer to marshal evidence at the time, he said.
“You really can’t have police marshalling and doing matters on investigations of police,” Mr Pinder said in the Senate on Thursday.
“It’s just not transparent and objective, or at least the perception of objectivity may not be there, so what we did at the Attorney General’s office is we immediately seconded one of our lawyers over to the Coroner’s Court to start marshalling evidence in police involved shootings.
He added: “That’s why you would’ve seen in the press lately, you would’ve seen reports with respect to matters of police involved shootings and we are bringing all of those which have case files complete in the Coroner’s Court up to review.”
Inquests into police-involved shootings were halted during the COVID-19 pandemic but resumed this March.
According to the latest US report on human rights in The Bahamas, 74 police-involved killings are awaiting inquests in the Coroner’s Court.
But before cases can proceed, files on police-involved killings need to be completed.
“Part of the challenge with the prior set up is that you have a number of files that aren’t complete to proceed,” Mr Pinder continued, “so we’re looking to work on those and finish the files so we can proceed on those.
“I’m also happy to say that Cabinet has approved just recently the additional support for the Coroner’s Court.
“We will be sending over or hiring two new marshals to marshal evidence and two more process servers over in the Coroner’s Court – non police – so we have enough capacity there to advance matters with respect to police involved shootings which we understand is an enormous backlog and we’re working through those.”
Mr Pinder added: "With respect to the transparency on prosecution, certainly you would have put into force the constitutional amendment that would have created the Office of the Department of Public Prosecutions – which is constitutionally an independent prosecutorial agency. And therefore, they will react in an independent and transparent basis without political influence or otherwise when there is appropriate charges to bring against police in a police involved shooting."
Comments
IslandWarrior 11 months, 2 weeks ago
The fact that there are 74 police-involved killings awaiting inquests in the Coroner's Court, as reported by the US report on human rights in The Bahamas, is indeed concerning. It raises questions about the efficiency and effectiveness of the justice system in addressing these cases promptly and providing closure to the affected individuals and their families.
It is important to note that the actions described by Attorney General Ryan Pinder in increasing staff capacity at the Coroner's Court and working on completing the files indicate a recognition of the issue and an attempt to address the backlog. However, the delay in conducting these inquests can be perceived as a lack of value placed on the lives of Bahamians affected by police-involved killings.
Public trust and confidence in the justice system are crucial for a functioning democracy. Delays and a perceived lack of accountability in police-involved killings can undermine that trust and contribute to the perception that the lives of Bahamians may not be adequately valued.
It is important for the government to prioritize the investigation and resolution of these cases, ensuring a fair and transparent process that holds accountable those responsible for any wrongdoing. Addressing the backlog and providing timely and just outcomes in these cases is necessary to restore public trust and demonstrate that being a Bahamian holds value in the eyes of the government and the justice system.
TalRussell 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Come again --- crown minister attorney general. --- With why the crown's --- "Brushing aside" from providing evidence of a tangible movement on the file of the --- Cryptocurrency crimes of the decade. --- Crimes tied to the "Comrade King and Girlfriend of Crypto' crash of the decade --- Cryptocurrency exchange FTX (Bahamas) ---- Apparently, --- whilst was not being closely monitored by the colony's local security people. --- Not even a single official peep forthcoming concerning a certain Cable Beach's BankerMan's dealings' --- No No Yes Yes?
hrysippus 11 months, 2 weeks ago
If, as claimed, the government is seeking to reduce backlog of police-involved killing cases, then it will have to work both hard and efficiently. Neither of which qualities are usually associated with State Employed Workers. The Bahamas has one of the highest rates , per capita, of police involved killings of any country in the world. Good luck to all involved in this effort if it is real.
ExposedU2C 11 months, 2 weeks ago
Same 'ole, same 'ole. Nothing but flapping lips and no do.
John 11 months, 2 weeks ago
The fastest way to reduce the backlog of the police killings is to STOP the unnecessary and unjust killings! Period. The public has been hollering out for too long that innocent young men are being killed by police. That men who may have committed a crime and may have been wanted by police but posed no threat to police, but they were executed by police, shot down like a wild dig in the streets. That victims of police shootings did not have a weapon but were killed by police and the weapon was planted ‘after the victim was killed by police. And the only way and the most certain way to bring proper and finite closure to these incidents is to have full and proper and timely inquiries into the matter. To restore confidence of the police in the publics eyesight and to restore the confidence in the 85-90 percent of the honest and law abiding and hardworking police officers that they will not allow a few bad apples to destroy their reputation or to make their work even more difficult
John 11 months, 2 weeks ago
The evidence in a current and recent police killing clearly shows that these matters cannot be treated in an ‘off the cuff’ manner and needs to be properly and fully investigated. AND place Your bets: when police officers are made to account and their actions that result in loss of life, then the overall all crime, including murder will decrease.
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