Cop convicted of murder

A police corporal is to be sentenced on February 3 after being found guilty of murder and unlawful wounding in the St Ann Parish Court on Tuesday.

He is Alcourt Williams, who at the time had served the Jamaica Constabulary Force for 17 years. He was suspended from duties after being charged.

The case surrounds an incident at Drax Hall in 2010 where the corporal shot two men, one fatally, during a crowd invasion at a football match.

Reports are that a football match was in progress at the Drax Hall playfield in St Ann when a crowd of persons invaded the field in protest over a refereeing decision.

Williams, who was at the match, intervened in a fight between several persons, identifying himself as a police officer. One man who had a knife in his hand was told to drop it, but refused, and continued to advance towards another man involved in the altercation.

The cop fired a warning shot in the air and then another, which caught two persons. The two injured men were taken to hospital where one died. After investigations, Williams was charged with murder and unlawful wounding.

At the end of the trial, which lasted six days, Williams was found guilty on both counts after the seven-man jury deliberated for less than an hour.