#BTEditorial – Mrs Knight faith in our justice system

Our recently renamed Barbados Police Service has had its fair share of entanglements over the years. They have included accusations of political interference, excessive use of force on detainees, sloppy investigations and even lashes from the Bench about their reliance on suspiciously convenient confessions from a high percentage of murder accused.

To be fair, the image of policing around the world has taken a major hit, none more so than in 2020 with the George Floyd killing in the United States. The public execution in broad daylight of a suspect at the hands of police officers has done nothing to soothe the public perception that some police officers are prone to abuse their power.

Here in Barbados measures have been introduced to quell public disquiet about alleged wrongdoing. These steps included the creation of a separate investigative arm that includes non-police officers, to hear complaints from the public about the bad actions of lawmen.

Admittedly, there has been some erosion of trust in our men and women in blue to investigate themselves without bias and to do so fairly and vigorously.

In recent months, we have seen instances of credible complaints against lawmen as they undertook their duties in a less than professional manner.

At the same time, we must concede that there have been many instances in which the local constabulary held members of its own ranks accountable for breaking the laws they were sworn to uphold.

Another important step has been the push back from the hierarchy of the Police Service to attempts to lower the standards for entry into the service as it searches to fill some 200 vacancies that reportedly exist in the Police Service.

To serve as a police officer is a most noble calling to pursue, though not the most financially gratifying for those who may languish at the bottom of its ranks. Young, ambitious, educated men and women are not necessarily inclined to wait for as long as a decade or more to move just one rank up to that of sergeant.

We must acknowledge that our police service still benefits from significant cooperation in their fight against crime and criminal activity on the island. Though not to the same level as years ago, police officers are still accorded a level of respect by average citizens.

In this connection, it has been a little more than 48 hours since the delivery of a judgement in one of the most controversial criminal cases in Barbados in recent years. The freeing of former police officer Everton Randolph Gittens for the murder of Selwyn Blues Knight and injuring his son Junior Knight on March 15, 2015.

While the Knight men had apprehended a man who allegedly broke into their home and stole two tablet computers, it would appear from the evidence presented to Magistrate Kristie Cuffy- Sargeant, the former officer, not knowing the facts, announced his presence, indicated he was armed and asked the Knight men to put down the knife and another instrument with which they were allegedly armed while holding over the suspected thief.

Magistrate Cuffy- Sargeant cited the absence of prima facie case to sustain the murder charge against Gittens and the charge of recklessly engaging in conduct which placed Junior Knight, son of the deceased, in danger of death or serious bodily harm and unlawfully wounding him with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or to cause him some serious bodily harm.

Of course, the Magistrate’s decision has drawn widespread outcry and condemnation. But it has been the statements of Knight’s widow Marleen, that provide the most sober reflection and analysis.

Unlike the scores of critics on social media who blasted the local judicial system and its officers, Mrs Knight has been responsible in her statements and focused on what is important to her – the memory of her late husband, the desire to find inner peace despite her disappointment with the court’s ruling and ensuring her son’s mental health and stability.

The 65-year-old was resolute in her interview with Barbados TODAY’s Anesta Henry.

“Tomorrow is another day and within a couple weeks this will all be forgotten, and I will be here weeping and mourning and worrying while people gone on with their lives, but I can’t do that. . . . If it is the will of the universe that justice shall be served, it will be served in due time, not in my time.”

Mrs Knight added soberly: “I can’t get mad at Cuffy-Sargeant either because if Cuffy-Sargeant says she aint see sufficient evidence as a magistrate, then I got to go with what she says.”

Her words are poignant and powerful. Mrs Knight presents an important lesson in faith in our system of justice, the question now is whether her faith in the system is justified.