Court Reporter Anita Nembhard Wants to Know Why Accused Attacker Has Not Been Charged
Byron James
Her encounter with a convicted murderer three months ago ended with a hit to the face when she tried to take his picture. But according to veteran court reporter and photographer Anita Nembhard, police appear to be having difficulties charging the accused, Byron James, with the assault. It has been three months since Nembhard made the report but she has not heard back from the Precinct One station. She has been unable to speak with the officer who took the statement. She has spoken with several police officers, including the officer who took the statement.
Anita Nembhard
Anita Nembhard, Complainant
“She is saying I was to call you and tell you that you need to come back in because I need to talk to you about your statement. I said why? She said because somebody story nuh di add up and then she implied that I may not have said the truth. I asked her why because she said that she spoke to my witness and I know who the witness. She said she spoke with him and he gave another version tot eh story. Spoke with police witness and they the give a next version and she nuh know who fi believe. What I was concerned about is why it has taken her so long to levy charges against Mister James when I asked for court action and I keep the get the run around?”
Andrea Polanco
“So she hasn’t indicated what is the discrepancy between your statement and this other witness?”
Anita Nembhard
“She is just saying conflicting versions. So, she asked me again what happened and I said Miss I already told you what happened. I am not going back in to make a next report. I want to see Mister James get charged. And tomorrow will make three months, and within three months from tomorrow will make six months and if he is not charged within six months, he won’t be able to get charged again. Then today, sending me to court on a matter that seem so crazy to me because the young man who they summons me for, somebody I know, but I never witnessed this incident, it was an accident.”
Andrea Polanco
“So, is this a separate matter you are talking about here?”
Anita Nembhard
“No, but why it was linked now to my case with Byron James is because that young man who is a defendant got a disclosure and today I learn from him in front of the court because I come before him to be a witness and I asked him which accident were you involved in that I witnessed and he said Miss I as confused as you because he got the disclosure that Byron James would have gotten inna my case; he got my information that I gave to Police. So, Mr James hasn’t been charged as yet and somebody got that disclosure as their disclosure, so I got a witness summons statement saying I must show up at court to testify on his behalf when he got wrong disclosure in the first place. It has been very frustrating because everybody know where to find Mister James. I nuh know why the W nuh call me and inna three months she nuh call me not once and it is just a coincidence that today that I so buck her.”
