TAZMAN NELSON is planning to take legal action against the authorities, after he was hospitalised following an alleged beating by the Mandeville police over the weekend, THE STAR understands.
Nelson, who is a 51-year-old businessman, has been in the Kingston Public Hospital since Sunday night when he was transferred from the Percy Junior Hospital in Manchester. He was taken to Kingston after he was hospitalised for beatings he allegedly received from two police officers while at the Mandeville CIB office last Saturday.
Superintendent George Qualo of the Mandeville Police Station said he heard of the allegations and the matter was being investigated.
"A doctor called me reporting that he (Nelson) had said he was beaten by two officers from this station. I can't say much as the matter is still being investigated," he said.
According to Nelson, he was on his way to St. Elizabeth when he stopped at a service station on Spur Tree Hill. He said while there a district constable came up to him and requested to see the documents for the car which he was driving. Nelson said he complied but the district constable called more police officers after he reportedly found $75,000, food, kerosene and candles in the vehicle.
"He accused me of being in drugs because the car was not registered in my name and I had that amount of money in my possession," said Nelson as he sat up on his hospital bed and grimaced in pain.
Nelson added that the officers took him to the police station and made further checks but released him after they failed to find any evidence that he was involved in drugs.
"When I was about to leave two officers came in and said I could not leave as I was involved in drugs. I asked to leave and the two of them told me no. It was then that they started beating me," he said.
Roughly nine hours
The businessman said a telephone directory was placed on his head and the officers proceeded to use a baton as well as a piece of board to beat him all over his body. He said he was beaten until he was unconscious, revived and then beaten again.
He said the entire ordeal lasted for roughly nine hours, after which he was allowed to leave.
"I was taken to the hospital by a taxi driver who saw how bad I looked. Later on they flew me to KPH after they saw that my condition was this bad," he said.
The word 'bad' is an understatement in describing Nelson's condition. He has tubes in his nose and penis to drain fluid and battered blood from his body as his kidneys have been damaged. His shoulders and back are black and blue and he also had to undergo emergency surgery on Sunday night as his intestines have also been affected. In addition, when THE STAR was leaving the hospital, Nelson was scheduled to have the colostomy bag which collected the fluid from his body emptied as well as he was to undergo a CAT scan.
"These two officers are always targetting me and accusing me of being involved in drugs although I'm not involved in any such thing," he said.
"I know people who are involved in drugs but I'm not involved in any as I am too old to go to prison," he added.
Nelson claims he was beaten by the same officers earlier this year and money was taken after his house was searched for drugs. He said he was also brought before the courts for the unlawful possession of a motor vehicle. However, he was released when it was found that he had lawfully obtained the vehicle.
Nelson said he was yet to report the matter to the Office of Professional Responsibility or the Police Public Complaints Authority as he has been unable to leave the hospital. And, based on the doctor's assessment he will not be leaving anytime soon.
Meanwhile, attorney-at-law, Lord Anthony Gifford, said he had been retained by the businessman. Lord Gifford said he could not shed much light on the matter as they were still awaiting the medical report.
"On the basis of his instructions there is a substantial claim but we're awaiting the medical report because it's early days," said Lord Gifford.
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