Charlie and Hirian Good – they have been protesting against her wrongful termination in front of the Supreme Court since August 17th and when the police tried to move them this morning it created a ruckus. It began when officers at the Supreme Court informed Good that because court was in session he would have to leave the area. He initially refused but later agreed to go home and re-group. He however had one more request and that was to speak to the Commander of Eastern Division, Assistant Commissioner David Henderson. So a police mobile was sent to pick up good and that’s when things got ugly.
Keith Swift Reporting,
Charlie Good took his stand or in this case held his ground around mid-day when in the face of a police request to move, he and his wife Hirian defiantly laid down on the ground in front of the Supreme Court – refusing to move.
Charlie Good, Protesting
“I think my right is being violated; freedom of speech, freedom of movement, freedom of expression and all of these wrongs that have been done to us. I thought about it and I turned back to my location. I made up my mind, my wife and I, if they want to take us out by force, we will not go the violent way and we decided to lay down there.
As they saw you all came, you know what they did, they went off, they drove off. So they thought you all were not around and they were going to take advantage of us. Thank you for being here with us because they would have mauled us or do whatever they wanted with us but we are going to stand our ground. He said we will get you because the media out there right now but sooner or later we are going to get you or similar words.”
And they did come back for Charlie Good about an hour later. This is footage
of the 62 year old being transported in the pan of a police pickup. They took him to the Raccoon Street Station which is where we met a visibly weak Charlie Good emerging from the station house. On his right is his son Goldburne Adolphus – who appealed to his father to back down. Good however remained defiant and lashed out at the police for ill-treatment.
Charlie Good,
“I di have chest pain. I get a mauling Keith. Eight police men, Dragon Unit. They came and immediately they jumped out the vehicle as if they were attacking us, surround us, and the ASP give the order and right there they roughed us up. My wife was telling them no that Mr. Good called the police to send a vehicle to pick him up. They said they don’t want to hear anything. Even a WPC there, a corporal came and stand up on my groin; she stand up on my feet. They have done all sort of things to me and yes I struggled to get away from them.”
Good had actually called the Eastern Division Commander David Henderson and they were supposed to go to Raccoon Street for a meeting. His attorney Arthur Saldivar says the officers apparently didn’t know that.
Arthur Saldivar, Attorney for Charlie Good
“The instructions given were not to arrest Mr. Good but in fact to bring Mr. Good to the Raccoon Street Police Station, an act that Mr. Good was prepared to do. It was not a situation where the police were effecting an arrest. However the actions of the persons who actually went and brought Mr. Good here, that action taken was taken on their own accord.”
Keith Swift,
“So for the record he is not arrested, he wasn’t arrested, he’s not facing any charges?”
Arthur Saldivar,
“He was not arrested, he was not charged, but he was brutalized which is totally uncalled for and out of order.”
Despite his failing health, Charles Good says he will continue to protest. His attorney Arthur Saldivar says that if necessary, Good will secure to permit to protest.
