By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
A LAWYER condemned the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) yesterday for declining to pursue criminal charges against an off-duty police officer who killed a man in a car accident in 2017, calling it a “miscarriage of justice”.
Tavarrie Smith, who represents the estate of Phillip Daniel Clare Jr, announced in the Coroner’s Court that he intends to seek judicial review after the DPP’s Office ruled there was insufficient evidence to move the case forward even though a coroner’s jury made a finding of gross negligence by manslaughter last November.
The jury’s verdict followed a years-long wait for an inquest into the January 10, 2017, death of Clare Jr, who was struck by a civilian vehicle driven by Corporal 3847 Samuel Rolle as he tried to cross Tonique Williams-Darling Highway to get food from Pressure Point Bar.
In court, Cpl Rolle appeared composed as Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux relayed the DPP’s decision. The victim’s family, however, reacted with visible distress and outrage.
The inquest revealed troubling details: the officer’s vehicle was unlicensed and uninsured during the crash.
During a voluntary police interview, he claimed he did not know Clare Jr had died.
A coroner’s inquest does not establish criminal liability. The final call lies with the DPP, who must assess whether the evidence meets the threshold for criminal proceedings.
Attorney Kevin Armbrister represented Rolle, while Angelo Whitfield marshalled evidence for the Coroner’s Court.
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