PRESS RELEASE by Konyo Sandiford and C.A. Nigel Hughes – Attorneys on behalf of the family of Junior Orin Boston (Deceased)
MURDER OF JUNIOR ORIN BOSTON
AT DARTMOUTH, ESSEQUIBO COAST 15/09/2021.
Brief Facts:
On Wednesday the 15th day of September 2021 between 4.00 AM and 5.00 AM several heavily armed policemen entered the home of Junior Orin Boston without a warrant while his family was asleep in the bedrooms of their home.
The armed officers first encountered Mr. Boston’s daughter who they removed from the house informing her that they wanted her father. Three armed officers then kicked open the bedroom door where Junior Orin Boston was lying in bed next his wife.
The armed policemen then shot Mr. Boston while he was lying unarmed in bed with his wife. His wife was lying next to him thought she would have been shot next.
As a result of the gunshot wound inflicted on Mr. Boston, the pillow and the bedsheet upon which he was lying were soiled with his blood. After shooting Mr. Boston, the Police officers removed his body from his bedroom and placed him on a concrete surface outside of the building.
The police officers then left him there and returned to the house where they then conducted a search of his home stating that they were looking for his identification documents.
After the search was concluded the police officers placed the body of Mr. Boston in a vehicle and took him to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The Guyana Police Force left behind the bloodied pillow and bed sheet which confirm the position of Mr. Boston at the time of the shooting. Photographs of the pillow and bedsheet have been attached.
The Guyana Police Force later in the day before any interview was conducted with the witnesses to the shooting of Mr. Boston or any of the persons who were present, issued a Press Release contending that there was a confrontation between Mr. Boston and officers of the Guyana Police Force.
The immediate adoption of a hostile position by the Guyana Police Force by attributing to Mr. Boston acts of aggression which are contradicted by both the eye witnesses and the independent evidence discloses patent defensiveness and desire to conceal the true sequence of events.
This rush to judgment by the Guyana Police Force immediately discloses the inherent biases and a predisposition which would render an independent investigation almost impossible.
Brief of Initial Expectations of Family:
At a minimum the family would expect that the following basic aspects of an investigation would have been conducted.
- The dusting of the hands of the ranks on the raid and the deceased for gun powder residue.
- The release and examination of all footage from body cameras which may have been carried by the police officers. The ranks of some law enforcement agencies have been issued with and do carry body cameras when conducting crime fighting activities.
- The taking into their possession of the mattress, the pillow, the bed sheet and any other relevant item of evidence from the scene.
- The clarification of whether there was a warrant to search the home of Mr. Boston.
- The clarification of whether any shells, warheads or other components of the projectile were recovered from the crime scene and the location from which it was retrieved.
- On what intelligence did the police act when they determined to search the home of Mr. Boston.
- What exactly were the police looking for when they attended the home of Mr. Boston.
- What were the standard operating procedures deployed when they entered the home of Mr. Boston without a warrant.
- The trajectory of the bullet and the points of entry and exit of the bullet which killed Mr. Boston.
The family of Junior Orin Boston demand an independent investigation into his murder by independent professional investigators with the appropriate contemporary forensic equipment and training.
The Press statement of the Guyana Police Force issued without any attempt to secure any statements from the eye witnesses, has irreparably damaged the confidence which is necessary for the conduct of a credible investigation.
The family requests and expects an independent professional investigation.
Dated the 15th day of September 2021
