7 News Belize

Kicking a Man While He’s Down
posted (March 7, 2019)
Yesterday, we also asked Commissioner Williams about that police officer in San Pedro who was caught kicking a unconscious man on the ground. Police constable Tyrell Rowley was charged for wounding but in his statement, he claims he was defending himself in a hostile situation. Rowley says he went to break up a bar brawl and got numerously attacked, where one of the bar patrons even tried to take his weapon. He and his fellow officer fought through the crowd and were then caught on camera engaged in that excessive beatdown

We asked the Commissioner if he did fairly consider the state of mind the officers were in after coming under attack:

Reporter
"These men came under multiple blows, according to their sworn statement. They went into a place and were treated like lower than low. They were treated like outlaws, but because you like to be in the public spotlight, you took the side of the public and you went with the edited version of the video. Didn't they also act heroically and self-defence to try to normalize a very unstable situation?"

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"Mr. Vasquez, I only like to be in the spotlight when you are present, so that you and I can be in the spotlight together. (smiling) I do not agree with you in the sense that when you look at that video, any person in their right mind would see that the young man who was on the ground was being kicked in the face, was helpless and seemed to have been in an unconscious state. I don't see how that could be self defense and even if it were that these young men had done something to the police prior, the right thing for the officers to have dons was to detain them and take them into custody. You cannot severely beat up a helpless person on the ground and claim self defense."

Rowley's victim only gave a statement after the Commissioner personally asked him to give one.

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize