Dear Editor,
It is not unusual for convicted prisoners to hurl threatening and abusive remarks at a magistrate upon being sentenced. Some prisoners would even call the magistrate false names, thus it was no surprise when a certain magistrate was called an “unlawful alien.”
Normally a prisoner would behave in this manner to demonstrate his anger with the judicial system which would have acted in his own interest and that of society. But the abuse and threats were always verbal, and non-violent. However, it is clear to me that prisoners have found a new way of venting their anger. They are attacking the magistrates and unless something is done urgently to improve their security, it wouldn’t be long before something goes seriously wrong.
This is evident from the following incidents.
In January, 2008 a man, allegedly of unsound mind, entered the courtroom of the Chief Magistrate and “holding a toy gun instructed everyone to freeze.” Fortunately, the weapon was just a toy but it could have been real with live ammunition.
In May 2008 a murder accused lunged at the Chief Magistrate when she refused to tell him her name. In July 2009 a high profile prisoner threw a book titled Deceit of Lucifer at Magistrate Geeta Chandan-Persid Edmond. I guess that all humans are affected by Lucifer’s deceit, but I cannot fathom why the prisoner would choose a book with such a title to use as a missile for a direct attack on the Magistrate. For all intents and purpose that book could have been an explosive device.
On August 17, 2009, prisoner Randy Samuels caused a ruckus in the courtroom of Magistrate Pryia Beharry.
It is evident that prisoners are no longer waiting to be sentenced before verbally attacking the magistrate; they are attempting to do them physical harm long before that. I hope that someone is paying attention because our magistrates are under attack.
Yours faithfully,
Francis Carryl
