The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander said the Royal Bahamas Police Force is learning from Coroner’s Court inquests that produce adverse findings for officers.

Findings against the police were once rare, but most of the inquests in 2023 have resulted in homicide by manslaughter conclusions, raising the prospect that the officers involved could be charged with serious crimes.

The most recent case involved 20-year-old Deangelo Evans, who was killed on Sandy Lane off McCullough Corner on May 27, 2018.

Commissioner Fernander declined to comment directly on the recent findings, claiming without evidence that the matters are currently before the court. In fact, two of the three matters are not currently subject to court proceedings.

However, he said: “Every day that we see deficiencies, these things are addressed. That’s why we have our policy and review team review our policies and our strategies and how we deal with matters.”

“We tweak those things every day. Those matters are still in court, so I don’t wish to comment on it, but we learned from the different investigations, and we tweak as we go with the different investigations.”

In addition to Evans’ case, Coroner’s Court jurors in May determined that Azario Major’s December 26, 2021, killing was a homicide by manslaughter. Likewise, in June, jurors concluded that Shanton Forbes’ March 25, 2018, killing was also a homicide by manslaughter.

In the case of Courtney Thompson, 36, who was shot in the neck on January 26, 2018, jurors determined the killing was justified.

Meanwhile, jurors returned an open verdict in the case of Ronald Mackey, who was killed on November 25, 2017.