-relatives
Although a Coroner’s Inquest was unable to find who was responsible for the death of Buxtonian Donna Herod, relatives say the government should assist in raising her children since the jury concluded that she died during a police operation.
The Inquest was held earlier this year following numerous calls for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Herod’s death. Herod was gunned down during what was reported as a firefight between the police and gunmen in Buxton. On the morning of September 4, 2007 Herod had just collected her children from a nearby school after learning about a joint services operation in the village, when she was struck by a bullet.
In July, the Coroner’s Inquest wrapped up before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court. The court heard evidence from police officers and Herod’s sister, Sherron Herod, among others, and a visit was also organized to the spot where Herod was killed. But the jury later concluded that insufficient evidence was presented to determine who killed Donna Herod. The only thing the jury was certain of was that Herod was killed while the police were executing an operation in the East Coast village.
“…We don’t know who killed Donna Herod, only God knows who did it, and we have accepted the outcome of the inquest. The family has no desire to have a long drawn out story over who did and we certainly do not want a fight either. What we consider as important at this time is what happens to her children,” Herod’s sister Yvette Herod told Stabroek News recently when contacted.
The family, according to Yvette, took the decision to accept what the jurors at the Inquest found because they would rather take comfort in something as opposed to nothing. That something is the fact that Herod died while the police were on an operation in the village. To fight and press on could mean “dragging this story on for years,” Yvette said, then she questioned to what end. She said the children are coping, as is the family, but that the death of their mother and her sister under such circumstances still cuts deep.
The way forward is to move on, Yvette said, and she pointed out that the focus now is on raising Herod’s younger children. Herod was a mother of nine and the majority of her children were minors at the time of her death. Currently only five of them are under the direct care of relatives; Yvette is taking care of several of them. The family is receiving public assistance for some of the children, but Yvette noted that it has to be heavily supplemented by relatives.
Yvette said the family is appreciative of the assistance from the Human Services Ministry, but she feels the government could make a more real contribution to the lives of Donna Herod’s children. She said the children are growing with needs and that they are slowly adjusting to a life without their breadwinner. She said the younger ones are doing well in school and that they are also involved in several extra co-curricular activities such as scouts.
“It is left up to the conscience of those responsible for Donna’s death to pay some consideration to the children and as to whether they feel the need to have some input in their lives…this family is not going to fight anyone for anything,” Yvette added.
She said also that the family was dealt another blow earlier this year when Sherron Herod died. Yvette recalled that Sherron was close to Donna and had taken the time to go and testify during the inquest in an effort to bring some closure to the family. Sherron was also caring for one of Donna’s children when she passed away.
In the wake of Donna Herod’s death in September 2007, several calls were made for an inquest to be held, and the PNCR took a special interest in the case. Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard had handed over a report into the killing of Herod to the Director of Public Prosecutions recommending that a Coroner’s Inquest be speedily held into the matter, but there was no movement on this until earlier this year.
Stabroek News also contacted Vice-Chairman of the PNCR and attorney-at-law Basil Williams who said he was one of two lawyers looking into the case. He said the party was angered at the fact that the inquest commenced without any proper notice, but pointed out that he was unable to spend much time at court. Williams said that he was present on a few occasions.
Attorney-at-law Llewellyn John, when contacted, said the conclusion was not rational since the police were reckless on the day in question. He said Donna Herod was going about her business when she was killed due to the reckless actions of some persons on the operation. According to John, reckless behaviour is a criminal offence.
He also recalled the shooting of Yohance Douglas, who was killed when police opened fire on the vehicle he was travelling in, saying “the police have to exercise greater caution on these operations because they cannot always say who is a criminal and who is not.”
