Cops kill man believed to be of unsound mind

Residents of Havana in Arnett Gardens, south St Andrew, are accusing the police of unjustly killing one of their residents, Peter 'Juki' Francis, 52, who they said was of unsound mind, on Monday.

"When dem a run behind him, people a run behind the police and a tell dem say him is a mad and sick man ... Peter wouldn't hurt a soul but him paranoid when it come on to police. The only thing that man ever walk with a him rum cup," one man said. Shortly after Francis' death, angry residents mounted a fiery roadblock in protest. According to the police's Corporate Communications Unit, Francis was shot in a confrontation with the police and a Smith and Wesson firearm was recovered from his person. The Independent Commission of Investigations has launched a probe.

Francis' mother, Lorraine Williams, was a picture of grief when she spoke with THE STAR yesterday. She described him as a jovial individual but said his behaviour changed when he began suffering from depression last year.

"Mi son was a 'talk a mouth' and talkative but him wouldn't hurt a soul. Him would cuss him sister dem but this is from September to now because is from that time him have depression. But before that, he was a genuine person who would reason and look out for yuh. Him was not a gunman and he wouldn't be one to be with a gun," she said. Williams said her son visited her minutes before he was killed. Williams said she was seated in her living room when two policemen entered and asked her if there was anyone else in the residence with her.

"One a dem have a machine gun on his side and a small gun in his hand. The other one had a tall gun and him say 'Easy mommy easy, who and yuh in here?' Mi tell him mi and mi daughter and she in the kitchen and him say 'Mi a go upstairs, enuh' and mi say 'Yuh free'. Him go upstairs and him didn't stay long before him come down back," she said.

Williams said after the lawmen exited her premises, she was told that they were searching for Francis as he ran when he saw them.

"Mi know him fraid a police, enuh. Him go next door and that's where the police went and saw him crouching. Mi hear people a say dem coming out with him and mi hear when dem drop him inna di jeep suh 'boom' and go away with him to [Kingston] Public Hospital," she said.