Court frees men accused of shooting at police three years ago

The three men accused of being involved in a mid-morning shootout with the Kingston police three years ago have been set free.

Kyle Henry of Preston Road in Rollington Town along with Shamare Miller, a barber, and Marquain Coleman, a maintenance worker, both of Harbour Drive in Harbour View, were yesterday found not guilty on two counts of shooting with intent, illegal possession of firearm, and illegal possession of ammunition at the end of a two-day trial in the Gun Court before Justice Trecia Hutchinson Shelly.

Allegations were that on March 21, 2021, about 11:00 a.m., a police team was on patrol on Phillips Avenue in Kingston 13 when the police signalled the driver of a brown 2016 Toyota Corolla motor car to stop.

The driver complied, but on the police's approach, reportedly reversed and collided with a light pole.

The occupants reportedly exited from the rear of the car and fired at the police and a shoot-out ensued.

A Sig Sauer semi-automatic pistol with a magazine containing five cartridges was seized and the men were arrested.

During the trial, defence lawyers for Coleman and Henry, while pointing out that nothing was found on the men, argued that there was no evidence tying them to a joint enterprise.

The lawyers also pointed out that the Crown had failed to provide any evidence linking the two men with the three men who had reportedly fired at the police.

Millers' lawyer, Paul Gentles, argued that based on the evidence his client was not properly identified and that the identification evidence was poor as it was taken under difficult circumstances.

He also submitted that no gunshot residue was found on his client and that his DNA was not found in the car.

Attorney Shamar Hanson, who represented Henry said, " The case was extremely curious to begin with as there was no spent casing on the scene and the only evidence of any shot being fired was from the police, as there was bullet damage to the bonnet of the vehicle that my client was in. Also, results for the gunshot residue did not confirm that any shot was fired from any of the accused men and the DNA on the firearm was not linked to anyone."

Attorney-at-law Sashanagaye Dennis represented Coleman.

- Tanesha Mundle

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