Family of teen shot in mouth by police turn down compensation

Family of teen shot in mouth by police turn down compensation

The mother of the 15-year-old young man who was shot in his mouth by a russian roulette obsessed police officer, has turned down compensation being offered  to her by the policeman.

The boy’s mother Marcelle Griffith, told News Source that she has been receiving a number of calls from persons claiming to be attorneys representing the interest of the policeman. She said she they have been offering her up to $2 Million dollars to settle the matter. She said what she wants in the case is justice and for the case to make its way to the court and for justice to be done there. The mother said she does not intend to accept any financial settlement.

The young boy Alex Griffith who was discharged from the hospital on Tuesday morning recounted how the police officer placed one bullet  in the gun before placing it in his mouth and pulling the trigger. He said the first time the policeman pulled the trigger, there was no gunshot, just a “clix” but when he pulled it the second time, he felt pain in his mouth and blood was rushing out of his  mouth and from behind his ear.

“I felt my ears ringing and I was feeling pain, then I hear one of the policemen saying how the boy bleeding bad we got to take he to the hospital. I was dumped in the vehicle and taken to the hospital”.

The party of policemen including the one who shot the teen in his mouth, left the young man at the hospital without offering any statement to the police on duty in the hospital compound.

The Policeman who shot the teen has been identified as Franz Paul. He rushed to the teen home and dragged him out of his house to question him about a robbery he was told that the teen witnessed. The robbery victim was the sister of the same policeman. The teen said he repeatedly told the policemen that he did not “see anything” but they kept beating him before dragging him out of his yard and driving off with him. He was eventually shot in his mouth during the questioning.

Social Activist Mark Benschop has been meeting with the teen and his mother and said he believes that the Guyana Police Force is dragging its feet on the investigation to force the parents to accept a settlement. The policeman who was under close arrest has since been allowed to leave the station but has been asked to report to the station periodically.

Benschop said justice must be served in the matter and the time has come for the Guyana Police Force to stop playing russian roulette with the people of Guyana and justice seekers.

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