There are two big developments tonight in the case of three police officers accused of having sexual relations with a 14-year-old girl who is now pregnant. Today police charged the third officer everyone's been talking about; he is Constable Jerry Usher. Jerry or Jeremiah Usher was arraigned this afternoon for one charge of unlawful carnal knowledge and now joins Elton Eligio and Gilroy Usher Jr. who were similarly charged on Wednesday.
That brings us to the other development of the day. This afternoon Constable Gilroy Usher Jr. was brought from prison where he is on remand back to court for trying to bribe the victim. We'll tell you about that shortly but first to jerry usher's arrest. He is the officer who the girl claimed she had 50 sexual encounters with at Gulf Hotel and whom she allegedly called her boyfriend. Customarily, an allegation of 50 times equals 50 counts, but in this case, he was only charged with one count of unlawful carnal knowledge.
He appeared beside his attorney Richard "Dickie" Bradley and unlike Eligio and Usher, Jerry Usher did receive bail. Why? Well on Wednesday the police's
chief prosecutor Linden Flowers told the court that Gilroy Usher and Elton Eligio should be jailed for their safety. Today the prosecutor had no objection to bail for Jerry Usher and so Magistrate Dorothy Flowers released him on a $5,000 bond.
It might look like the police are playing favorites but head of the Internal Affairs Division Robert Mariano says they are not. This afternoon, he told us that with the three arrests, the investigation just about closed.
ASP Robert Mariano,
"The investigation is almost concluded. The file was forwarded to the DPP this morning and I have discussed the case with a crown counsel from the DPP's office and I have received the green light and as a result we had charged PC Usher just a while ago for carnal knowledge."
Keith Swift,
That's PC Jerry Usher?
ASP Robert Mariano,
"Yes."
Keith Swift,
Any reason why it took so long?
ASP Robert Mariano,
"Well actually it was until Tuesday of this week that we received report about PC Usher. The other two names were called earlier this year but PC Usher was called. It was not because it was long but it was until Tuesday of this week we got his name."
Keith Swift,
We have heard that there is a senior office involved, can you tell us anything about that?
ASP Robert Mariano,
"Well as far as I am concerned no senior officer's name way called. You could even check with the family members of the child or the child herself because I took the opportunity myself and interviewed the child, her mother, and her sister and asked them if any senior officer was involved and they said no. The only three names that were called have been arrested. The last one was arrested today and the first two were arrested earlier this week."
Keith Swift,
"The talk was that Chester Williams was this senior officer. You are saying there is no truth to that, Chester Williams is in no way related or was even being investigated for this incident?
ASP Robert Mariano,
"Well personally I have heard the comments on the street and because of that I had interviewed the girl, her mother, and her sister in relation to that allegation and they categorically denied that allegation. They say they don't know anything about it and they don't know where that allegation came from and as a result, because of that, I can't have any investigation against Mr. Williams since thy are saying that he is not involved."
And as we mentioned earlier, shortly after Jerry Usher's arraignment Gilroy Usher was taken to be charged for attempting to suppress evidence. Police claim that on some unknown time on some unknown date Gilroy tried to bribe the girl with $200 to drop the charge. Magistrate Dorothy Flowers threw out the case because no day and time was specified. She told them to return to court when she they have sorted it out. We note that Gilroy and Elton Eligio appeared before Magistrate Margaret Gabb-McKenzie who refused them bail until May 10th.
