(Trinidad Guardian) Lawyers representing Special Operations Response Team (SORT) Inspector Mark Hernandez filed a habeas corpus on Friday night challenging his protracted detention.
It was heard by High Court Judge Kevin Ramcharan who transferred it to Justice Betsy Ann Lambert-Peterson, who will hear it tomorrow.
Lawyers representing Hernandez and other members of the unit under investigation for the deaths of two suspects in the abduction and murder of Andrea Bharatt have complained about the tactics being used by investigators of the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB).
One of Hernandez’s lawyers Wayne Sturge also raised the issue with them having an ID parade considering Hernandez is a public figure.
Sources told Guardian Media that Hernandez participated in an ID parade at the St Joseph Police Station yesterday. It was supposed to happen on Friday, but investigators had issues with getting sufficient people who look similar to Hernandez to participate.
Investigators were consulting with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) up to yesterday.
Guardian Media reported yesterday that Hernandez’s team of lawyers and a separate set for the 14 other officers and soldiers who have been questioned by investigators over the past two weeks, raised the issue in a series of legal letters sent to Police Commissioner Gary Griffith and Deputy Commissioner of Police McDonald Jacob between Wednesday and Friday.
In a letter sent to Griffith on Friday, Hernandez’s lawyers, Sturge, Mario Merritt and Alexia Romero, sought to threaten legal action over his protracted detention without being charged.
Hernandez’s legal team claimed that after he submitted himself to police on Wednesday, investigators allegedly claimed they expected that he would self-incriminate himself during an interview and be charged based on his expected alleged admissions.
According to Sturge’s letter to the Commissioner of Police dated April 16, Hernandez has been an inspector for many years and was arrested but has not been charged for any offences.
The letter also stated that Hernandez is being detained at the Pinto Police Station since 6:45 am last Wednesday. The letter added that the murder of Bharatt took place on January 31 and the T&T Police Service has had two-and-a-half months to investigate but to date, they are still unable to obtain any evidence out of the incident.
