Police Constable suing Attorney General’s office

gilbert hyde

Four days after the murders of Roberto Torres and Eugene Flores and the wounding of Ron Thomas, on February fourteenth, 2008 police charged five persons including one of their own, Police Constable Gilbert Hyde Junior. But less than a month after the charges were brought against Hyde, they were withdrawn on March sixth due to a lack of evidence. Hyde is now suing the Attorney General’s office for damages. The case started on Wednesday and today the final two witnesses took the stand; police Constable Orlando Cab and the then Officer Commanding the Easter Division, Allen Whylie, who is now C.E.O. in the Ministry of Defense. Whylie told the court that the decision to charge Hyde was based on conflicting reports from him and other witnesses. Hyde claimed that he was riding along with one of the accused men, Ryan Felix, in the area of the shooting. But according to Whylie, witness accounts say that Hyde was at the yard from where shots were fired shortly before the incident. Hyde’s Attorney, Tricia Pitts-Anderson, referred to a statement from Gian Staine, in which he allegedly confessed to the murder, disclosed his motive, the whereabouts of the murder weapon and where he had gotten it from. Staine’s report also disassociated Hyde from the crime but Whylie said he was not aware of that statement at the time of the charges. Justice Minnet Hafiz-Bertram adjourned the case to September twentieth when closing submissions will be made. Hyde was charged along with Ryan Felix, Albert Allen and Earl Hamilton Junior for Conspiracy to Commit Murder because while a minor was charged for the two murders and the attempted murder of Thomas. Felix and Allen were additionally charged with Abetment to Commit Murder. Torres, Flores and Thomas were riding on Gill Street when they were ambushed by two gunmen who emerged from an abandoned house. Police believe the shooting was the result of an old beef between Torres and the minor who was charged.