Bowen’s Estate Seeks Monetary Compensation after Death in Holding Cell

Gregory Bowen

On Monday, January fourth, detainee Gregory Bowen was found dead in his cell at the Queen Street Police Station. Police reported his death as an apparent suicide. In an interview with the media following the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams, said that officers conducted hourly checks on the detainee and that the police were not aware of any “mental issues” that Bowen may have suffered. While that was the Police Department’s official account, Bowen’s family does not believe that he committed suicide. His siblings are demanding that police provide the evidence to corroborate the police’s version of what transpired. The family also maintains that the police did know of Bowen’s mental health issues, as the family would often call for police assistance when he was off his medication and having outbursts. The family has since sought the services of attorney Orson Elrington.  The attorney has written to Commissioner of Police Chester Williams, Minister of Home Affairs Kareem Musa, and Attorney General Magali Marin-Young with a wrongful death claim. The family is seeking monetary compensation of two hundred and five thousand dollars to cover funeral expenses, pain, suffering, and other damages.

Orson Elrington

Orson Elrington, Attorney for Bowen Family

“I believe it was on the fourth of January, earlier this year that Mr. Bowen tragically lost his life while in the custody of the Belize Police Department.  Regrettably, the duty of care which he was owed as a prisoner or as a person who is under the custody or detention of the police department was not adhered to and that negligence on behalf of the Belize Police Department tragically resulted in him losing his life.  I think that on an interview I heard the Commissioner of Police state the fact that there is an increase, a heightened burden on the Belize Police Department if a person suffers from any type of mental illness and I am not too sure with my previous interview that I was able to say so but indeed, that was exactly the circumstance of Mr. Bowen.  He was a person suffering from mental illness and this was known to the Belize Police Department, not only in this singular instance but he had had several different encounters with the Belize Police Department and so the Belize Police Department knew, or at minimum should have known that he was a person suffering from mental illness.  Definitely the arresting officers on that day knew of it.”