Convicted man says weapon was for his protection

Acting on a tip off, police officers ventured to Cavan’s Lane, St Michael on May 13, 2018.

On arrival they observed a man later identified as Kemar Shane Murray, of Jackson Terrace, St Michael standing near a vehicle in the area of the entrance of a popular pleasure craft. As they approached he removed a sweater that he was wearing, dropped it and kicked in under the vehicle.

Crown Counsel Romario Straker, in reading the facts in the No. 2 Supreme Court on Friday disclosed that Murray’s actions prompted police to request a search of his person to which he consented. Found in his pants waist was a firearm loaded with six rounds of ammunition.

Asked to account for the gun and bullets, which he told police that he had no licence to carry, Murray said “Officer I got this for my protection. There got people threatening to kill me. They kill my father, I don’t want to die like he did.”

He was afforded his rights to an attorney and the investigations continued.

In explaining his reason for discarding the sweater, he said, “I know that the sweater would bring attention so it took it off and dropped it”. But he refused to give a written statement to lawmen saying that “My lawyer tell me not to give any statements.”

The weapon was examined by a firearms expert and found to be a .45 calibre revolver.

Last month Murray appeared before Justice Randall Worrell in the No. 2 Supreme Court where he pleaded guilty to the two-count indictment.

After the facts were read by the prosecutor on Friday a pre-sentencing report was ordered in preparation for sentencing in the case in which he is being represented by Arthur Holder Chambers.

Murray’s case will come up again for hearing on May 6. He remains on bail in the meantime.