Policeman found not guilty in shooting death of Patentia Schoolboy

Policeman Quacy John walked out of the High Court on Tuesday afternoon after a jury found him not guilty in the murder of 16-year-old Patentia schoolboy, Kelvin Fraser.

The jury took less than three hours of deliberations to return the not guilty verdict. Relatives of the police officer jumped up in celebration in the courtroom after the jury delivered its verdict while the family of the dead teenager were left in shock and disbelief.

The policeman was arrested and charged back in 2010 for the shooting death of the young school boy. The incident triggered several days of protest by students of the Patentia Secondary School and residents of the West Demerara community.

The young man was shot dead at close blank range as he and other school boys ran from a group of police officers who were called to the school to break up a gambling game.

During the trial, the Attorney for the policeman told the jury that the young man was shot as he wrestled with the officer for the officer’s gun.

However, testimony from the Police Force’s ballistics expert pointed to the teenager being shot at close range and pressure being applied to the trigger by one person.

A post mortem report documented that Fraser could not have survived the gunshot wound since several of his organs were blown apart and his ribs were shattered.

News Source understands that one of the key prosecution witnesses in the trial that took four years to be heard, passed away last year.

The state’s case was presented by Prosecutor Diana Kowlessar of the Director of Public Prosecution’s chambers. The first trial was aborted after it was found that one of the members of the jury was a relative of the defendant.

Filed: 23rd September, 2014