Herbert Thompson, 52, of Amelia’s Ward Mackenzie Linden along with two friends took to the street of Mackenzie to protest the decision made by Magistrate Ann McLennan, who found him guilty of the offences and fined him $150,000 or an alternative 18 months imprisonment.
Thompson said that he was not guilty of the offence and he was a true victim of police brutality. According to Thompson, on December 21, 2006, he was parked along Republic Avenue when he was approached by a police officer and ordered to move from the location. He said that at the time he was off loading his truck and had refused to comply with the police order immediately. He had told the court during his testimony that he felt that he was specifically being targeted by the cop since there were other trucks parked in the vicinity at the same time.
A verbal encounter between the two ensued when a senior traffic police officer turned up on the scene and shot Thompson in the leg. Thompson said that at the time the policeman was drunk. Thompson contended that charges against him were never instituted until a year after the incident and this was testimony that a case against him was concocted. “More than a year after this incident is when they press charges against me and that was a after my son was killed on the highway and they make the man who kill he get away from the hospital,” he said.
Thompson’s son Quacy was killed after a speeding car crashed into their truck on the Linden Soesdyke Highway. At the time, Quacy was lying under the truck carrying out repairs to it. The driver of the car was taken into police custody and passed trough the court where he was placed on $150,000 bail. “De man started out crying for pains and the carried him to the hospital and the next day he escaped from the hospital. He people still turn up and pay the bail money. Every time the case call in court he lawyer was say that he seeking medical attention overseas and is expected in the country soon but the soon never coming,” Thompson related.
Thompson said his experience was life changing, explaining that he had invested in purchasing the truck but it was repossessed by the dealers while he was hospitalised, bringing his business to an end. “Since then, everything has been going wrong for me. I lost my business. I lost my son and now I can’t even hold a steady job,” he lamented.
During his protest, Thompson said he was hoping to have much more support from persons within the community but was prepared to proceed with or without the support. He said that he was not prepared to pay the fine but rather spend the time in prison. “Where would I get $150,000 from and even if I had that kind of money I wasn’t going to pay it because paying it means that it would go down as if I am guilty and I would not admit to some thing that I did not do. If they want to jail me let them jail me,” he said.
Asked if he intends to appeal his case, Thompson said that his lawyer is doing what he has to do and I have to do what I have to do in the meantime.
