Last week, we told you about 19 year-old George McKenzie Jr., the son of slain street figure, George "Junie Balls", who was suddenly charged and then not charged for murder.
As we reported, investigators took him to the Magistrate's Court to be arraigned for the murder of 57 year-old Alfonso Cruz, who was killed on April 12 in Rhaburn's Alley.
They had a signed witness statement and a positive identification from a man who reportedly had the gun pointed at him moments before Cruz was murdered.
Now, murder is a capital offense for which there is no bail, and so when his mother realized what was about to happen, she sought the intercession of senior police officers. Those officers were eventually able to get their hands on a copy of surveillance camera footage which showed that McKenzie was in a Chinese restaurant at the time of the murder.
Nevertheless, he spent the entire Easter weekend in lock down, and it was not until today, when the case was brought back before Senior Magistrate Sharon Frazer, that the Prosecution formally withdrew the charge.
Of course, his family is furious with police. Today after the court hearing, his mother told the media that this was the latest attempt by key police officers to target McKenzie Jr:
Melissa Major - Mother of George McKenzie Jr.
Wednesday morning at 10am I was at home and the police came by and ask me where my son was George McKenzie Jr., I told them that he had just took a bath and took a walk down the street. They saw him walking down the street and they went and arrest him. When they came to me they said that they want him for a shooting. When I went to the station I got information that they have him for PI murder. I ask about which information and what murder about whom he kill and stuff like that. I spoke with Officer Cawich at CIB and he told me that there is file that went to the DPP and they are awaiting a request from the DPP as to what they will do. After that they said that they will get back to me. They took down my number but they never did call me."
"About minutes after 12 my son calls and told me that they had just charged me for murder. By the time I went back there they had already gone. But before that I told them that my son was at Chon Saan and they had him on camera, but they (the police) didn't want to see the camera. When I saw my son I ask him if he had told them where he was and if he had told them about the camera and thing and he said yes and Mr. Cawich told him that he didn't need to see the camera because he already had a statement that he (my son) did the murder."
"I think they are harassing my son just because of his name that he carries, George McKenzie. I had already done a human interest story concerning these same police officers. One set of police officers harassing my son and this same police office have a big role to play in this case. And like I told them that yes this is "Junie Balls" child, George McKenzie Jr., but he is not "Junie Balls," he is someone totally different. Not because his father did this and that that's means that he has to take the licking for his father. His father is already dead and gone; whatever he was supposed to do leave it for God for God to be his judge. Don't judge my son on earth because he carries his father name; It's totally two different people."
George McKenzie Jr. is a student of Maud Williams High.
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