Police Constable Errol Peralta and Several Other Officers to be Arraigned in Death of Derrick Uh
Derrick Uh
Several police officers are expected to be arraigned tomorrow for manslaughter in connection with the death of Derrick Uh. Attorney Norman Rodriquez is representing one of the accused officers, Police Constable Errol Perlalta. We spoke with him just before news time. Here is what he told us.
Norman Rodriquez
Norman Rodriquez, Attorney- at-Law
“I was informed that he from some source was advised that he will be charged tomorrow for manslaughter. Those are my instructions.”
Paul Lopez
“What is the next step in the process?”
Norman Rodriquez
“I will have to go to his arraignment and there will have to be an application for bail. I will have to convince the court to grant him bail so that he can, it is a tough move, a tough situation he is in. One day you are a community police officer, and one day again you are asked to do a favor and you end up in this situation?”
Paul Lopez
“What do you think are the chances of him getting bail?”
Norman Rodriquez
“It is a bail able offense at the Magistrates Court. It is not one of those offenses which the Magistrate is exempted or his or her powers are taken away from given bail. So, I believe that it is not something he court will refuse.”
Paul Lopez
“What has your client told you about what transpired?”
Norman Rodriquez
“I would say this much that my client was working the grounds, but he was not working in the position that would have placed him to the detention of the young man or the moving of the young man. I was made to understand that it may have been the SPU that detained the young man. As I was made to understand, my client was not there when that was done. So, he has no knowledge and when he was asked to move the van from one point to another point, he did that. So, it is not that, if the instructions I have received are true, he cannot be faulted. And, I am saying if he going to be charged then I would want to see how they will establish a case against him. The society will cry if he is charged for manslaughter people will cry, oh that is not the correct charge. They will want murder. But, those who advice the police to bring certain charges must look at what is in the mind of the person in addition to the act that is done that becomes a crime. So, you ask me, in my mind, from my instructions I don’t even believe that my client is suppose to be charged. But, I am not the police. The police has to do his work. I will just have to respect what they do, and when we get into court we will do what we have to do.”
