Tyreek James, an alleged member of the One Don faction of the Clansman gang, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and unlawful wounding yesterday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court stemming from an incident at the Supreme Court in February.
But James used the opportunity to air his concerns before parish judge Maxine Dennis-McPherson that he has been in police custody for the past five years.
“Your Honour, this incident has happened from February Your Honour and the investigating officer charged us from about a week after Your Honour. Your Honour, they told us that it is because of the case [gang trial] that is going on. But Your Honour, the case break from how much time now and weeks. Your Honour, I have been in custody since 2017. I am exhausted with this court thing,” James said.
His co-accused, Fabian Johnson, pleaded not guilty to charges of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, malicious destruction of property and unlawful wounding. The allegations are that on February 8, the accused were to be transported from the Supreme Court back to their remand centres when they refused to enter the cell section of the pick-up truck. One of the men began behaving boisterously and attacked one of the police officers in his face, neck, and right hand, which caused swelling and bruising. A policewoman tried to intervene when she too was attacked and received punches several times to her upper body. It is alleged that the men threw bottles during the melee, which caught the female cop on her breast. She received medical attention afterwards. After pleading guilty, James told the court that he injured his ears in lock-up about a week prior to the incident, and tried to tell the officer that he could not go to the section of the pick-up where the horn is located.
“He told me is not what we want, so me a tell him say ‘please and kindly place us in the middle or at the top’. Same time him come and hold me, slam me in the grille, my head was burst. So a so now me thump afta him Your Honour,” James related. On the charge of malicious destruction of property, the Crown offered no evidence against James. He was remanded in custody until December 14, when he is to be sentenced. The judge requested a social enquiry report and that James’ criminal records be made available on the next date. Johnson was remanded until September 21, when the matter is set for trial.
