There's some internal friction in the police department after a senior cop has been barred from acting as an adjudicator. And it also involves Police Corporal Kent Martinez who that same adjudicator barred from acting as a defense advocate in a police tribunal last week.
We start with Corporal Martinez - whose name was much in the news last month when he was charged for the manslaughter of Allyson Major. That criminal charge resulted in him being placed under interdiction. The police legal advisor, senior Superintendent Bart Jones took that to mean that he could NOT appear as a Defence Advocate before a police tribunal. Jones put that in writing on July 24th to the Woman Constable who Martinez was appearing for - that was three weeks before Corporal Martinez was supposed to appear.
But on Tuesday, the day before the tribunal - there was a police message - again seeming to come from the office of Legal Advisor ACP Bart Jones but with what looked to be another person's signature. This message said that the commissioner of police has directed that Corporal Martinez can continue to act as a defense advocate before a police tribunal. That contradicts what ACP Jones had sent out three weeks earlier.
But, he still appeared as and advocate before the tribunal on Wednesday and the adjudicator, Superintendent Gualberto Garcia ruled that Martinez could not appear since - by the terms of his interdiction - his duties were in abeyance.
Two days later, the Assistant Commissioner of police Dezeree Magadaleno sent Superintendent Garcia a letter saying that his power to adjudicate had been rescinded with immediate effect.
And while it looks like Superintendent Garcia was sent packing because he ruled against Martinez - the Commissioner told us this evening that's just mischief. He says Garcia was removed because he is too lenient in his adjudication and lets police officers who are guilty of wrongdoing get off with just slaps on the wrist. He says that's the only reason why Garcia was removed. As for Corporal Martinez he says that he was dealing with the case from before the interdiction, and it was best he stayed with it.
Email
Print