Jamaicans For Justice (JFJ) has received complaints of persons being intimidated, even receiving death threats by police.
That’s seen as another indicator that police brutality in Jamaica continues to be a cause of concern.
A JFJ report found when these behaviors result in the death of civilians, families are left to fight for justice in a flawed system.
Some of the victims of the justice system share their stories with CVM News during a policy summit on the state of justice hosted by JFJ.
Mercia Fraser has been seeking justice since the police-related death of her son Mario Dean in 2014.
According to CVM, Dean was brutally beaten while in police custody at the Barnet Street police station in Montego Bay and his case has been going through the justice system for six years now.
Fraser said she is living in hope with the little she is receiving from the police.
“You can see a little bit has been done or saying that’s going to be done and with that you have to live in hope, you just cannot leave and say, oh that is what they said, you have to live in hope…” she stated.
Tyrone Edwards, whose brother was reportedly shot and killed by the police in 2014, has lost trust in the justice system.
“You wont get a hundred percent trust from me,” he told CVM. “But what I am hoping for that out of these reports and the experiences of families that keep keep fighting that it will cause a change that prevents another family from experiencing the same thing”
In 2020, Kimo Dakers was detained for a week with no charge. He was reportedly told by police that they were conducting an investigation and more information would be provided soon.
According to CVM, he said the police still has not gotten back to him.
He said that he is just taking it easy until he gets some response from the police.
CVM said there are many more stories like these across Jamaica but with the establishment of a National Human Rights Institute under review, reform may soon be on the way.
