Franz Paul, the former police cadet officer charged with shooting the then 15-year-old Alex Griffith in the mouth during a game of Russian roulette, yesterday said his gun went off during a scuffle with the teen over the weapon.
Paul made the claim as he led his defence yesterday when his trial continued before Magistrate Fabayo Azore in a Georgetown court, where he opted to give an unsworn statement, based on advice from his attorney, Roger Yearwood.
Paul, of Lot 189 Freeman Street, East La Penitence, is charged with shooting Griffith in his mouth on April 30, 2014, at Georgetown.
Paul stated that on that date, he was stationed at the Mahaica Police Station as the Officer-in-Charge. He said that while he was making his way home, he received a call from his mother, who informed him that his sister was the victim of a robbery.
As a result, he noted that when he got home, he took his mother and his sister to the East La Penitence Police Station, where his sister made a report.
Subsequent to the report being made, he said a party of policemen were dispatched and he joined one of the patrols. He related that while on Freeman Street, the patrol that he had joined encountered a group of men who had a man in their custody. He added that the young man fit the description of the person they were looking for and the men who handed him over claimed that he was the perpetrator.
It was at this time that Paul said he questioned the young man in relation to the robbery but he claimed that he was not the suspect though he could lead them to where the suspects were.
Paul said that they were then taken to a yard where the suspects were said to have been located.
He added that he and other officers went into the yard and made several checks but they were in vain. He said that he returned to the young man and asked him why he was making fools of them and why he was misleading them.
Paul said that the young man began to behave disorderly and called them “crosses.”
According to him, they then took the young man out of the police van and put him on the ground with the hope of calming him down.
At this time, he said, the other officers were scouring the area.
Paul said he then proceeded to ask the young man why he was wasting his time. He said the young man cursed him and told him that ‘Y’all don’t carry home duh (referring to Paul’s gun) when y’all going home.”
The young man also continued to curse at him, he said.
At this point, Paul paused for a short while, seemingly upset. He then stated that in response to the young man’s statement, he sucked his teeth and had his weapon in his right hand at his side as he stood over the young man, who was on the ground in front of him. He added that at this point the young man tried to grab his gun and a brief struggle ensued for a few seconds and a shot was fired.
Paul said that he was uncertain if the young man was hit but recalled officers running towards them and the young man jumping up, holding his jaw.
“That’s when I realised he had been hit,” he said. He added that he immediately instructed the officers to place the young man into the van and take him to the hospital. He later reported the incident to his commander and was placed into custody.
The accused noted that sometime after the incident, the complainant and his mother made contact with him seeking to settle the matter.
He forcefully noted that at no time was his firearm placed in the complainant’s mouth and that he was innocent of the charge.
Subsequent to his testimony, Yearwood told the court that the defence would be calling two witnesses.
Magistrate Azore then adjourned the matter to July 14 for continuation.
