It took a week for the DPP to put the case together, but she has instructed the Police to charge Constable Richard “Dixon” Polonio for the murder of 49 year old Alexander Herrera. Late this afternoon, the 24 year old Polonio was taken over to court by his former Officer In Charge at the Patrol Branch, Simeon Alvarez. He appeared before Senior Magistrate Dorothy Flowers in court #2 where he was read a single count of murder. No plea was taken and he was remanded to the Hattieville Prison. Polonio has been in the department for three years.
In a letter to the police yesterday, DPP Cheryl Lynn Branker Taitt told them that there is sufficient evidence to justify the laying of charges against Polonio. She also cautioned that it is, quote “highly likely” that charges will be brought against other officers who have given statements in that case. Sources tell us that the DPP is looking at the possibility of laying charges for fabrication of evidence.
According to statements gathered by Herrera’s brother and sworn to before a privately retained attorney, because those witnesses were intimidated by police, Richard Polonio was the officer who used a shotgun to shoot Herrera in the back of the head after he dived into the river trying to escape from police.
