ERROL SPOONER

The preliminary inquiry into the March 29, 2005 fire and unrest began at the former prison, Station Hill, St Michael. The prison has been relocated to Harrison Point.

Errol Spooner, with a catheter and urine bag attached to him, pleaded with Magistrate Deborah Holder to assist him in getting an audience with Acting Superintendent of Prisons, Lieutenant Colonel John Nurse. He wants the meeting before he dies of kidney cancer or more of the violence at the Harrison Point facility.

"I just want to see the superintendent 'cause I fear for my life. I am under a lot of pressure from inmates and prison officers. This is life-threatening; men does get stab up, beat up and brek up down there," said Spooner.

"They tell me that I have to write a letter to see the superintendent, but the letters like they don't reach. I am not saying that every officer is bad, but some are corrupt," Spooner said, adding he was attacked by a warder while walking along a corridor.

Raising his shirt to show his physical state, he told Magistrate Holder: "Ma'am, I gine soon dead. I got kidney cancer."

The preliminary hearing yesterday dealt with charges against Leroy Dennis Snagg who, along with Milton Esajas are charged with separately destroying Her Majesty's Prison along with others by fire on March 29, 2005.

Snagg was the prisoner who was hospitalised with head injuries from a blow with a hammer during the fracas which erupted during the prison fire.

He has since been numbered with those inmates responsible for destroying the over 150-year-old penal institution.

Spooner, Patrick Greaves, Frank Carter and Arleigh James, all inmates, testified yesterday.

Senior Crown Counsel Wanda Blair and Inspector Martin Jones are prosecuting.

The court sits again today at 9 a.m.

News Source - The Nation News Barbados

Riot police in Jamaica, heading for the troubled DCS The Glendairy Prison on fire in Barbados

KINGSTON, Jamaica: Hard on the heels of rioting at the prison in Barbados, officials in Jamaica are this weekend continuing their investigations into Thursday's bloody riot at the Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in downtown Kingston, which resulted in the death of four individuals, leaving another five injured.

In speaking with Caribbean Net News , officials at the National Security Ministry, confirmed the disturbance, adding that a team made up of officers from the Department of Correctional Services (DCS) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force conducted a full-scale search of the facility but nothing untoward was found.

It has also been reported that some prison officers had witnessed the death of a colleague, including the injuring of three others.

"They are terrified," the Parliamentary Secretary in the National Security Ministry, Kern Spencer was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the police are of the view that a prison break was being attempted during the time when visitors were at the maximum security correctional center and this was all designed to add to the confusion.

According to one report coming from the Constabulary Communications Network (CCN) a man who was not identified, is said to have "drawn" a .38 revolver and began firing shots. It was then prison officers in a rapid response returned fire and "when the dust was settled" some five individuals were shot and injured.

Caribbean Net News has confirmed that Maurice Whittenham 28, who was serving his second year as a member of the DCS, died as a result of having being hit by a bullet to his throat.

DCS officials have also confirmed that three prisoners identified as Kamar Cotterell, Richard Harrison and Jeffrey Jones died in the fracas, while three officers ­ Wayne Lindsay, Roger Mills along with Cleopatrick Blake ­suffered injuries as a result of being shot.

DCS officials said they do not think the disturbance had anything to do with the recent riot at the Glendairy Prison in Barbados, where one prisoner was shot and several hospitalised for injuries, forcing the government of Prime Minister Owen Arthur to re-locate over 300 prisoners and seek assistance from the Caribbean-wide Regional Security System (RSS) to restore order.

News Source - Caribbean Net News