It made big news when the entire family of the late Myron Smith, who was murdered, ended up in prison last week after police searched their house on Giles Street while they were holding a repast in his memory.
The cousin of Alrick Smith, Myron's dad, complained that if police looked into the matter closely, they would have found out that they should have all be swept into police custody, locked down, charged and remanded. But it did happen, and today, when they were released from court after the charges were dropped, they were furious.
They gave an interview to Monica Bodden who waited for their court hearing to finish. Here's what they had to say about what they called unfair treatment under the gun law:
Alrick Smith
"It's just rough because it was a death and we just had our neighbors around and the young boy came out the yard next door and he just roll up in my house with the gun. I saw the play and I went across there and the policeman searched me and the man just pick up us and said that all of us have to go for gun. It was a rough time because it was a death. I don't know how I am here talking right now because I still feel shaky."
"We don't have any gun at our house, my family doesn't deal with that. I don't have any problem with the police, especially my family. It really bug me out."
Monica Bodden
"You plan on going further in pursuing a lawsuit against the police department?"
Alrick Smith
"That is what we have to do because it's really rough. They took our rights away because the police saw the young boy ran up in our house. I don't know what kind of law is that."
Monica Bodden
"You think this law they need to make some changes to it."
Alrick Smith
"The black people and creole people they really have to beat up about this law. I don't understand this law because if the ran up in their house with a gun I would want to know how they will feel - it's a rough law."
Tamika Smith
"All that I could remember is that we just came from bury my cousin and two young man just ran upstairs at my uncle house at the time and by then police officers had already reach up there. When I reach upstairs, I went to call my brother for one of the young man because he wanted to see my brother - that's why I turn back and went upstairs. The officers stand up at my uncle door and tell us that we cannot come outside and he told us to sit down in there and officer Castellanos was telling us a whole lot of craziness and he was treating us bad. He didn't give us an opportunity to call one of our people them. I just was thinking about my baby and my family. I wasn't think about anybody else. I just say that they treat us bad, went up there and this wasn't necessary at all."
Lavern Olivera - Family Member
"I am disappointed in them because from the start the police knew that they shouldn't charged them any at all because they chase that boy in the house, so I am disappointed in them. I went on the radio stations to talk about my family because people would have believe what the news was saying first that they had gun. They don't have any gun. Let us not left this here because who next will it be?"
Monica Bodden
"You think that this law needs to be amended?"
Lavern Olivera - Family Member
"This law shouldn't have even been made because every night people are dropping. Even with this law people are dropping and more guns are out here. You know what the law is there for? It's for when you come to the court and pay your $1,500 and then the government gets that - the law is there to make money."
As we told you, six of seven persons who were charged with kept firearm and ammunition without a gun license, were freed of the charges when they were brought today before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser. They are 52 year old Alrick Smith, 47 year old Sandra Casey, 22 year old Leon Smith, 19 year old Tamika Smith, 20 year old Rashida Brooks and a 16 year old boy.
The prosecutor told the court that he was instructed by a memorandum from the Director of Public prosecutions, Cheryl-Lyn Vidal, to have the charges withdrawn. As a result, Senior Magistrate Fraser withdrew the charges and told the six that they were free to go. The charges were not withdrawn from a 17 year old boy who had wanted to plead guilty to them when he was and the others were arraigned last week. All seven were charged after police on July 8, found a 9 millimeter pistol with 13 rounds of ammunition in its magazine.
Quinn Arnold was fined $1,000 today by Magistrate Hettie Mae Stuart for 10 grams of cannabis. She was ordered to pay $300 forthwith and the balance by august 31. She paid the $300 and she was released.
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