City Constab. granted bail for death of mentally challenged vendor

A 50-year-old Lance Corporal attached to the City Constabulary appeared before Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan at the Georgetown Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, January 18, 2018, slapped with a manslaughter charge for the death of 34-year-old Marlon Fredericks.

Gregory Bascom of West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, Georgetown was not required to plea to the indictable charge, which alleged that he unlawfully killed Fredericks on January 14, 2018, at Regent Road, Bourda.

His lawyer, Roger Yearwood described the killing as an “unfortunate incident,” as he noted that at the time of the incident, Bascom was “operating within the course of his duties.”

The court also heard that Bascom has been interdicted from the City Constabulary. Attorney Yearwood’s application for bail was not objected to by Prosecutor, Celine Evans, who asked that conditions be attached if bail is granted.

As such, the Chief Magistrate released Bascom on $800,000 bail and adjourned the matter to February 12, 2018. He was ordered to lodge his passport and report every Friday until the completion of the trial.

On January 13, Fredericks, of Tiger Bay, Georgetown, was apprehended by officers from the City Constabulary for a number of simple larceny transgressions during which he was severely beaten and assaulted.

Fredericks was kept in custody at the Bourda City Constabulary Outpost and it is alleged that he attempted to flee custody when he was shot. Fredericks was unarmed.

His mother Claudette Fredericks had gone to visit him when she witnessed the shooting. A post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was due to complications to his lower back as a result of a gunshot wound.

Fredericks was a drug addict but plied his trade as a vendor.  He was the only son of Claudette Fredericks, who is the host and producer of popular morning programme – First Look.