The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

FOUR POLICE officers pleaded not guilty to manslaughter on Friday for the killing of 15-year-old boy Gino Finley Jr in 2017 and 31-year-old Azario Major in 2021.

This comes over a year after a coroner’s court jury returned an adverse finding of homicide by manslaughter in both cases.

Family members of both deceased men, how had long vied for criminal charges being made against the officers, were present during their arraignment in Supreme Court.

The courtroom was also packed with uniformed officers who showed up in support of the accused.

Senior Justice Cheryl Grant Thompson arraigned Police Constable Dennis Sturrup for the fatal shooting Gino Evante Finley Jr during an alleged armed robbery at Seagrapes Shopping Centre on May 23, 2017.

Evidence presented during the inquest indicated that the teenager, who was wearing a school uniform, was shot in the back of his head.

Justice Grant Thompson also arraigned Sergeant 2825 Antonio Sweeting, Sergeant 3039 Jamal Johnson, and Sergeant 3726 Deangelo Rolle for the fatal shooting of Azario Major in his car outside a bar in Fire Trial Road on December 26, 2021.

All four officers pleaded not guilty to their respective charges of manslaughter.

Keevon Maynard, who represented the officers in Major’s case and was holding brief for K Melvin Munroe for PC Sturrup, was advised to ensure the questionnaire for Sturrup be filled in by December 17.

PC Sturrup was informed that his matter would proceed to trial before Justice Grant Thompson on May 26, 2025. The officer was informed that his trial date is set for May 7, 2025 and his case management date is on March 19, 2025.

The officers in the Azario Major case were informed that their trial date will be set before Justice Guillimina Archer Minns on December 18. The questionnaire in their matter will be submitted on the same date.

Mr Maynard was advised by Justice Thompson to ensure the defendants return on their court dates or risk their bail being forfeited.

Last month the coroner’s court informed the families of slain men  Valentino Johnson and Shanton Forbes that a decision on whether the matters would advance to the Supreme Court would be announced at a later date.

The Coroner’s Court also noted that five officers’ cases, previously pending review, were officially closed last month and will not proceed to trial. These include cases involving the deaths of Harold Brown and Richard Brown, Deangelo Evans, Elroy Stubbs, and Ernest Forest.

While adverse findings against police officers were once rare, they have become more frequent since inquests resumed following the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this trend, justifiable killings still dominate. Over the past year, there were 14 rulings of justifiable killings compared to seven findings of manslaughter.