Bail offered in wounding case

When fights get ugly ....

A man from the Portmore area in St. Catherine, Shawn Dunn, 21, was offered bail last Thursday, April 16, when he appeared in the Port Maria Resident Magistrate court, St. Mary on charges of unlawful wounding.

Shawn Dunn was offered bail in the sum of $180,000 with surety by senior resident magistrate Andrea Collins. He is expected to report to the Greater Portmore Police Station on Mondays and should reside at his given Portmore address.It is alleged that on Saturday, April 4, the accused, Dunn got into an argument with a young man, Davon Smith in Jacks River. Dunn and Smith got into a fight in which Dunn allegedly used a pair of scissors to stab Mr. Smith several times. 

According to the investigating officer, the incident left Mr. Smith seriously wounded. He received treatment at the St. Ann’s Bay Hospital, St. Ann.The investigating officer also revealed that Mr. Smith was stabbed all over his body. The officer further noted that Shawn Dunn turned himself in on Monday, April 6, but his injuries seemed to be only superficial scratches he received from the altercation.The complainant, Mr. Smith, who also appeared before the court, was allowed to sit, during the case because of pain from the stabbing incident on April 4.

When RM Andrea Collins enquired about the medical certificate, the investigating officer explained that the complainant has applied for the medical certificate at St. Ann’s Bay Hospital.

DRAMA

RM Collins set the bail bond and told the accused, Shawn Dunn that he was to return to court for the case to be mentioned on July 30.However, there was some drama in the court room, as the accused was seen resisting the police officer’s instructions when he was being taken to the holding area and was gesturing angrily in the direction of the complainant that they were telling lies on him. RM Collins, who did not see the incident, asked an officer in close proximity of the incident what had transpired. When she was told, she said to Shawn Dunn and his lawyer: “He seems happier where he is at. 

Maybe he would like to remain in custody until July 30.”“I’m sorry, Your Honour,” replied Shawn Dunn at the persuasion of his lawyer. RM Collins suggested that the accused conduct had to be addressed and instructed the police officer to remove him again to the holding area.The accused was then on a second occasion led out of the court to the holding area without much resistance on that occasion.

A note

The Port Maria Court House is located opposite the Claude Stuart Park and the Port Maria Parish Church. Originally built in 1821, this fine example of Georgian architecture housed the court house and police station until it was gutted by fire in 1988. It was subsequently rebuilt and reopened as the Port Maria Civic Centre in 2000. The imposing nineteenth century court house has had several cases involving some of the country’s best known politicians tried there. The most famous was that for manslaughter against Alexander Bustamante (now National hero) in 1942.

UK Sports store suspends staff after gay couple branded ‘battymen’

So Jamaican parlance has made it to merry old UK and manifests its ugly self in an incident reported in the UK press and LGBT platforms. Thanks to Dennis Carney from Black Gay and Proud UK for alerting me to this via Twitter.

Thanks to the steady stream of vitriolic and homophobic murder music as 'art' imitates life and always changing names now internalized and cemented in the national psyche of not only Jamaicans here and abroad but now as this case shows other races who are also anti gay.

We have been called in Jamaica a list of ever changing stigmatizing terms and names such as:

Fish (Here fishy fishy ..... 2010)

Faggots

He-man

He-she

Chi chi man (TOK popularised) 

Shi-fu man (very old term mostly used in rural areas)

Battyman widely used and as popularised by Beenieman's All Battyman fi Dead and Capleton's Battyman fi get Boom or Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye to name a few.

Number 2 (back in the early days when the previous terms were not popularised yet), also see: Popular Jamaican homophobic words a post I did 2009.

Gavin Matthews with boyfriend Craig Hards

Sporting goods chain JD Sports has suspended a number of staff members – after a gay couple were allegedly referred to as “battymen”.

Gavin Matthews, and his partner Craig Hards say they encountered the homophobic language from staff members at JD Sports on Eltham High Street.

Mr Matthews said in a statement to PinkNews: “As I took a couple of steps in I heard from the rep behind me ‘Der battys in’it’.

“I quickly spun on my heels and stared straight at the individual who was just laughing whilst his colleague, who was no more than one foot from my side, just moved away quickly further into the store.

“My partner returned to my side and I told him in high tones ‘we’re leaving’.

“This is an outrageous homophobic hate crime and I immediately contacted JD sports customer services by email and received two days later a generic apology with a comment that they haven’t experienced this before.”

A spokesman for JD Sports has today confirmed that two members of staff have been suspended over the incident, and that one external member of staff was no longer employed by the company.

A statement to the Standard said: “Mr Matthews informed JD Sports of his complaint via the online customer service centre following the incident on Sunday 5 April.

“A new member of agency staff, who was working on a trial period at the time, unfortunately failed to properly escalate the complaint to the senior management team, who became aware of this incident on Friday 17 April. This individual is no longer working on behalf of JD Sports.

“We deplore discrimination of any kind and take this matter very seriously and took action as soon as this mistake was realised.

“Two employees from our Eltham store were suspended on Saturday 18 April pending a disciplinary hearing which is scheduled to take place later this week. The head of our customer service team spoke with Mr Matthews yesterday and he is aware of the action we are taking and will be informed of the outcome of the disciplinary process.”

ENDS

also see:

JD Sports suspends two staff members after store assistant 'called gay couple battymen'

songs such as Bounty Killa's 'Dat a True' speak to it loudly or Batty Man Dem Flex Like A Sissy ('2009') – Assassin feat. Elephant Man and Bounty Killer:

Dat A True – Bounty Killer

Intro:
They get me cross, angry, miserable/
They're liable and eligible.../
Wha happen to dem faggot?! Maggot!/
He dat plan to a next man shall put to death!/
Quote it from da bible biblically/
It's warlord, I'm killin dem spiritually/
Wha happen to my pride, wha happen to my dignity, wha happen to my liberty, wha happen to my culture, what about morality/
Man to man UNJUST!/
Wha happen to dem faggot?! Maggot?! Cross, fungus!

Chorus:
Batty nuh fi fuck an' dat a tru/
Apologize to who/
Yuh must lose a screw or few/
Yard man nuh play numba 2/
Yuh already knew/
Watch what yuh say or do/
Batty nuh fi fuck, an haffi real, man a killa weh yuh feel, fuck wha yuh believe, if dat will mek wi eat, then wi nuh wan no meal, wi rather sell copper an' no man see

Verse 1:
Man ah artist weh dem use it, mi nuh paint like da vinci/
Cocky mi gi gal so nuh bwoy cyaan pinch me/
Jackie inna mi mind, why dem wan hitch me/
Memba when ku klux klan dem a lynch wi/
Ah coulda weh dem really wan teach di pickney lunch time/
Weh dem bwoy yah livin sickly/
Stand up fi mi culture, dem can not trick me/
Ah coulda ass or mule, dem cyaan kick me/
Man ah nuh slave, so no bwoy cyaan whip me/
Through mi have mi morals, dem wan rubber grip me/
Fi no visa, me nuh mek no bwoy strip me/
Yuh mad!/
Tek back green card an hit me

Chorus

Verse 2:
Cancel two concert an still survivin/
Pat a still put on land cruiser drivin/
Fat pussy gal deh yah undo my zip/
An ah batty some bwoy come eyes 'im/
Battyman inna di church it's not surprisin/
How much yutes yuh see di priest victimizin/
Not realizin jah gon chastize em/
Evil is deep, dem ah di pope idolizin/
Dem see di judgement an' run go knife it/
Clear di way mi hot gal dem a wifey/
Gi gal dem cocky, some bwoy deprivin/
Dat bwoy conniving, mek ah man ah prize him/
Battyman get so old 'im stop hidin/
Mi nuh go a track, mi nuh support nor strike 'im/
God by mi side, inna mi heart mi abide in/
Jah 10 Commandments will forever hide 'im/

Chorus

Cross, angry, maggot, faggot, fungus, germs, baby sperms, wha happen to dem earthworms!/
You kno it's Warlord, it's a holy war, it's a spiritual war, you kno it's warlord!/
It's my culture, it's my nature, it's my experiences, it's nothin I'm fightin against, dat's how I see it, dat's how I live it, dat's how I kno it, dat's how I tell it, dat's how I show it...

Chorus:
Batty nuh fi fuck an' dat a tru/
Apologize to who/
Yuh must lose a screw or few/
Warlord nuh play numba 2/
Yuh already knew/
Watch what yuh say or do/
Batty nuh fi fuck, an haffi real man a killa weh yuh feel, fuck wha yuh believe, if dat will mek wi eat, then wi nuh wan no meal, wi rather sell copper an' no man see

Batty nuh fi fuck an' dat a tru/
Apologize to who/
Yuh must lose a screw or few/
Yard man nuh play numba 2/
Yuh already knew/
Watch what yuh say or do/
Batty nuh fi fuck, an haffi real man a killa weh yuh feel, fuck wha yuh believe, if dat will mek wi eat, then wi nuh wan no meal, wi rather sell copper an' no man see

Closing:
Cross, angry, man to man, UNJUST!/
What happen to dem faggot?! Wha happen to dem fungus?! Yow, go to hell out...

NOTE: these lyrics were found on the internet. They might differ from the song.

plus songs that call for the execution of gay men by others as 'art' imitates the old generational perceptions.

Also see:
Lyrics, not gays, tearing down reggae or dancehall

Street Dance DJs Clash over Playing of Sam Smith song

Dancehall Acts with Anti Gay Legacy Feud

Buju Banton's Boom Bye Bye still available on Itunes?

Should we care about dancehall acts & rumours of gaydom?

Not Impressed!!!! Beenieman ..........

Elephant Man's "A Nuh Fi Wi Fault" lyrics

Out a Road: DJs who "hit out" hiding something? ......

Dub Poet DYCR Reiterates his anti gay themed piece

Capleton's "Shot him up" .......

Sizzla Locked Up After 'Cussing' Cops

Deejays seek Obama's help for visa ...

Insensitive parents & Displaced MSMs part 2

Elephant Man's "Wi nuh like gays" lyrics

"Gay Look" for Kartel?

Bounty Killer and his B****man comments at Shaggy's fundraiser 2010

Evidence of our worst export it seems.

Peace & tolerance

H

Gleaner Editorial: Confront Anti-Gay Bigots

President Obama's LGBT comments at Youth... by glbtqjamaica

When Barack Obama referenced Angeline Jackson in his remarks to young leaders during his visit to Jamaica, it was more than a statement about the bravery of an individual and the right of people, whatever their sexual orientation, to enjoy their fundamental human rights in a free and democratic society.

It was a declaration, too, of the nature of leadership: that, at its best, it is conditioned by neither opportunism nor narrow expedience.

We hope that Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller heard and was inspired to lead her administration in a frontal legislative defence of this country's gay and lesbian community to love who they wish, without fear of discrimination, official, or otherwise. In other words, it is not enough for the prime minister to designate a member of the Cabinet - as the Americans may have been advised she has done - to trove for complaints about government agencies that discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation and then use moral suasion in an effort to reverse such bigotry. Nor should such an initiative be secret, as it appears to be.

(photos added for this entry, not at source)

Ms Jackson was 19 when she was raped. Her rapists hid behind the chimera of their action being some kind of corrective therapy for her lesbianism. Instead of slinking off in the darkness, Ms Jackson formed an advocacy organisation, Quality Life Jamaica, for women like herself who have faced such trauma and, as President Obama put it, to push back against such stereotypes.

Said Mr Obama: "But more than anything else, she cares about Jamaica and making it a place where everybody - no matter their colour, or their class, or their sexual orientation - can live in quality and opportunity."

It was a sentiment similar to President Obama's and the bravery of Ms Jackson that we perceived in Mrs Simpson Miller when, during the 2011 election campaign, she rejected notions of a sexuality check for prospective members of Cabinet and promised a parliamentary conscience vote on the law against buggery, the major weapon of terror used to intimidate gay men.

Mrs Simpson Miller and her Government have done little publicly to advance this issue, which requires a major public-education campaign and would benefit from her unique skills of communicating with most Jamaicans.

GOVERNMENT CONSTRAINED

It is easy to understand why Mrs Simpson Miller and Government may be tentative. A Bill Johnson poll for this newspaper last year found that 95 per cent of Jamaicans were in favour of retaining the buggery law. And while more than 80 per cent agreed that gays were not treated fairly in the society, two-thirds felt that they that should not enjoy the same rights as straight people. In other words, it is right for the law and other institutions to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation.

Such attitudes are fanned by fundamentalist Christians, whose unevolved fire-and-brimstone interpretation of scripture helps, in too many circumstances, to reinforce bigotry and constrain governments keen on socially progressive and transformative actions. Put crudely, they influence votes. It would make sense that the fundamentalists undertake a review of their bearings.

At the same time, Mrs Simpson Miller might find that the hold of the fundamentalists and the bigots might be not as powerful as they assume if her leadership advances to the protection of people like Angeline Jackson.

ENDS

Nothing much to add except to reference the Quality Citizenship Tab immediately below to see other posts by date order, new ones appear first including this post so scroll down for more.

As this old Clovis toon implies it's about winning election so explosive matter such as Buggery/Homosexuality may not really get the attention they deserve or be made to become political capital harvesting tools.

In the meantime see:
Health Minister Says Boldness Needed to Change Buggery Laws for HIV Prevention Work to be Effective

Member of Parliament Lloyd B Smith on Of Buggery & Rationality

Justice Minister reiterates his personal position on the Buggery Law, Anal Intercourse, Consent & Privacy,

More gay marriage paranoia & hijacking of the homosexual debate by fanatics

Opposition leader (JLP) reiterates his call for a referendum on Buggery ...

Jamaican Opposition Leader says he would allow homosexuals in his cabinet ..... departing from his predecessor 

Non Governmental Organization Consultant says JLP suggested Referendum on Buggery is not a good idea

Opposition Leader sides with antigay groups on Referendum on The Buggery Law

Promised (I mean suggested) Conscience vote on Buggery law not a priority right now (yet again) says Prime Miniister

Holiness, hypocrisy and homosexuality …Pastors and the buggery law debate

Foreign Affairs Minister says Govt should be cautious on gay rights issues in Jamaica

Promised Conscience Vote on Buggery in Jamaica was a fluke,

PNP’s Bobby Pickersgill differs on Conscience Vote route to decide on Buggery Law

The False Dichotomy of the religious right on the LGBT advocacy Godlessness

MoBay Church Fraternity Says No To Buggery Review

The PNP's first 100 days ............. buggery review looks far away

PNP's Damion Crawford says it's highly unlikely buggery review will happen ........ it's not important now 2012

CVM TV @ Sunrise on the Buggery review & JFLAG's 100 days hope for meeting with PM

Gleaner's associate editor on no to theocracy

Milk River PNP Councillor says no to buggery repeal ..............

Kicked Out! Lesbian told to leave home by father as he can’t stand the site of her

Another case of stigma by appearance and perceived sexual orientation

As more reports come in of problems in the home and communities based on supposed abhorrence predicated on perceived sexual orientation I am a bit concerned as the response systems also seem not to be working in as far as formal LGBT ones are concerned, the lesbian in question did make a report at the insistence of a gay friend and she attempted to do so to an advocacy group but all they seem to have done is collect the report by phone and then no major follow up by them; instead she had to be calling them for what to do next or for further engagement and evidenced by her frustration as she reaches out for advice and some financial intervention.

One hopes that the stipend arrangements for such cases I had redesigned are still in place to assist such individuals or least tweaked for persons who find themselves in such challenges as this one. Fine that reports are being taken but the follow up and closure outside of asylum is still an administrative hiccup it seems.

The matter like most others these days came to my attention via social media which positively affects actions to closure and crisis reporting and a rather lengthy text message from an intervening party who was also included in the social media linkage and at whose house the 22 year old evicted lesbian is staying temporarily. She is also not fully employed which like similar displacement/forced eviction cases makes recovery difficult as support systems as in this community based assisted shelter response the person being assisted is left to the mercy of the kindness (however long it can last or is offered) of that time.

The 22 year old woman who hails from Manchester has been having a series of arguments with her father, according to the young lady who allowed me sharing the matter says her father would repeat a certain line in his rebuttals or rebuke that he cannot stand the site of her as if to send a subtle message that she had to go without saying it in so many words.

Matters came to a head however over the Christmas holidays in 2014 after a gathering at the house of family members and afterwards another one of those sporadic arguments commenced and continued according to the distraught lesbian far longer than usual as was due to her mode of dress for the evening as she was in a white suit presenting as semi butch, the shirt she claimed to have worn was mans and this did not sit well with her father; he claimed at the time it was inappropriate and that as his daughter she was to have presented herself better to the other family members who by the way outwardly do not really express any sign of abhorrence when I asked her if she felt such from them. Sometimes one can get signs from them as well which can suggest how far the rejection of lesbophobia as in this case has spread or is spreading.

The relationship according to the lesbian which was already tense changed for the worse over time and the final blow came in another holiday just ended in Easter interspersed with arguments and standoffs, he then told her the damaging words as usual and issued the ultimatum, his fears according to him was compounded by a revelation that neighbours and others were talking about his manroyal daughter and how she wanted no man.

“Mi nuh want nuh raasclaat manroyal round me, dutty gal......” (I want no [expletive] man royal around me, you dirty girl) the emphasis on ‘manroyal’ is crucial and has factored in previous cases of lesbians and transmen mistaken as lesbian presented aesthetically with masculine features. This hatred of the masculine present in biologically born females is substantiated by songs such as Beenieman’s Man Royal claiming he does not want to seen with such identified or looking persons. So our women also are profiled in this awful misunderstanding of sex, sexual identity and sexuality; a lack most visible in our school systems for several generations hence in part the ignorance playing itself out as in this case in family and community challenges.

He also allegedly went as far as to suggest she should find a man and have a sex life as if to imply some corrective sexual action would hetero-normalise her orientation and by extension her look, a suggestion that has also factored in cases I have seen during my time at JFLAG’s crisis intervention’s desk and via reports to my blog links and so on.

Thanks to the informal crisis shelter assistance from a young man in Porus Manchester for now and she is talking to a cousin in another parish to relocate and find an online job with PPL Register as I suggested to her in a subsequent conversation by phone. There are other stories and unconfirmed reports that I and others are tracking as the traditional spike that occurs when LGBT matters are most public seems evident yet again. Owing to a most public of them all and a shot in visibility by no less a person than the US President during his visit to Jamaica while positive in one sense has a price for some of our brothers and sisters but sometimes inevitable martyrdom is unavoidable, even if LGBTians do not necessarily subscribe to the cause of the struggle they may be affected by the spin offs positive or negatively from same.

As more displacements occur islandwide the trends seem to be suggesting more same gender loving women are factoring as victims and are older as well, just a basic scan islandwide which I attempted in late 2014 proved to me there is a challenge for the population overall and there is hardly any funding for family preservation or re-integration work just now. I am not sure if Obama’s visit will assist or change that department. Our New Kingston group friends have since scattered after the police removal in December 2014 and the outcome presented itself via a brawl just some days ago as one of them was accused of stealing a phone and another phone stealer was sentenced in a dubious case. Other minor clashes with the public have been reported as well but unconfirmed, since the dubious closure of a pilot project in 2009 the welfare and haphazard social issues that attend to MSM/Transgender displacement/homelessness have skyrocketed.

Also see my last post on MSM eviction that I was able to confirm:

Hope this sister keeps her head up and builds from this temporary fall.

Peace and tolerance

also see:

Outcomes when offering community based shelter for displaced gay/bi brethren

KSAC working to clear streets of homeless people, will the LGBT populations be assisted as well?

Housing Minister seeks funds for Shelter from NHT Money ....... Will the LGBT Homeless be Assisted?

More Jamaican LGBTQ displacements & homeless challenges in 2014

Pirates' Cove named as base for "homosexual prostitutes" KSAC asked to address homelessness by UDC

Some good news on the homeless front ..... guarded and waiting 2012 ( and I am still waiting)

Some considerations ..... would you assist someone who has been displaced ? 2011 

or the podcast I had done at the time

H

CISOCA Head: buggery cases for boys decreasing, interventions less successful in abused girls

Speaking at a special media briefing on April 18th the head of Centre for Investigation for Sexual Offences in Child Abuse, CISOCA Superintendent Enid Ross Stewart she highlighted the decrease in Buggery cases for boys, she said that there were only five main cases in train since the start of the year and others have gotten some closure from last year. She highlighted a case of a boy in his teens who opened up to his parents on an abusive situation with a male adult as the perpetrator but when he was taken into office for the CISOCA team to have the resident psycho-social interventions to take effect he closed down on them and denied the allegation even in the absence of the parent in the room during the engagement.

“...when he came to us he said no because he was comfortable speaking to his mother but now he is at CISOCA where he has to speak to one or two officers ....... more persons are getting into his private space; we now have an obligation to record his statement and ask the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution to assist us in going forward.”

She went on to also share that boys seem better to respond to the interventions overall as they feel really violated when paedophiles abuse them and often go through the processes and attend court when needed with support provided to parents, she said girls however take longer in abuse matters and their resolution.

She never gave any figures during the public stage of the exchange.

The unit’s plan for this year were outlined for this year where she went into some detail as to the blitz campaign and branding on JUTC and other buses for example, newspaper, social media and radio campaigns with messaging encouraging persons who know of abuse or where abused as children and now are adults to contact CISOCA of come forward. She says she wants to encourage girls and boys to report early so the interventions can be rolled out to bring closure to matters earlier.

She said many persons are also doing the latter:

“We would have find in recent times that persons who were abused are coming forward to tell us I was abused when I was twelve, thirteen, fourteen; we have about five such cases as we speak.” When asked about the statute of limitations on such cases and late reporting she responded: “No” As for police who are accused of sexually based crimes she continued that many accused persons with that dilemma have been cooperating she said “The list is about 25 as this morning we were taking some off cause of new updates ........ We’re really sanitizing the list and um we had about 25 still remaining on that list, there are police, teachers before the court ....... we’re not looking at those we are actively investigating."

also see a case from January: Cop arrested by CISOCA

“Even if the victims say they don’t want to continue we have an obligation because they may be members of an organization so we must continue; so we send that file; that is one of those files that must go to the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution for a determination.”

CISOCA also said that it will not be deterred by the status of persons in probing allegations against them “An allegation has been made and so the rumour; I don’t like the rumour; rumour dem spreading now; so put it before the court and if it is that you are not guilty they’ll go free but once I hear about the matter, I have a statement I am going to pursue it,” said Sergeant Claudette Hepburn Community Safety and Security Office within CISOCA.

Recent disturbing inappropriate sexual contact allegations with minors and men of the cloth is also a challenge to which CISOCA’s coverage has widened to though not mentioned in this latest engagement but given the Cherry picking and hypocrisy but sections of the Christian community on an anti gay quest they pay little or no attention given to such societal ills yet they have all the strength and money (given the media blitz and full paged ads on a Sunday that are not cheap)and no interventions for victims, no attention to the homeless given recent disturbing reports of said persons rounded up by authorities in preparation of The US President visit earlier in the month.

also see:

Disturbing Paedophile Case & Conflation of Same Gender Sex with Abuse 

National Children’s Summit for Jamaica Conference Centre for August Excludes Sexuality Issues  

The arrest rate for under 16 girls was also raised “Some of these cases are really cold case files we have dug up and made arrests in them; and so we have made more arrests compared to last year but the reporting of the act itself is really on par with last year for under the age of fifteen for rape; it is really a cultural problem our girls and our parents communities believe that once a girl gets to a certain age they should be having sex and it is wrong; we are really destroying our girls.” Said Miss Enid Ross Stewart. The disturbing belief that young men having sex with minors or with a virgin will cure sexually transmitted diseases is still a challenge in today’s Jamaica, it was a challenge for me as well in HIV prevention work I was involved in at the Ministry of Health under the early days of the PLACE project. 

On sex with very young virgins to cure disease Mrs Ross Stewart made this disturbing revelation.

“We had one such report this week, our doctor called me to say ....um ..... She calls me Madame Ross I am looking at a case that disturbs me and I am saying what are you talking about? .......... a young girl nine years of age ....... the young man that had sex with her is twenty years old because she now has an STI all because the young man believed if he had sex with her his STI would go.

I am still concerned also about the continued conflation of paedophilia and homosexuality and hence justification by anti gay voices to block attempts at achieving rights and recognition, thankfully the goodly folks at CISOCA overall thus far are now aware of the difference and treat with specific case types with diligence and understanding, there is still some room for improvement as a recent matter that I was close to was staggered by old beliefs subscribed to by the police involved in prosecuting the matter.

Peace and tolerance

More:

Two Good Letters on Gay Person-hood & Paedophile Homosexuality Conflation

Anti gay religious voices where are they? .... Pastor charged with sexual assault

Youth Minister Lisa Hanna's conflation of same gender sex & abuse responded to part 2

Children’s Advocacy & LGBT Agencies inconsistent approach to Homeless MSM Youth

H

Switch-hitting in a Gang War Case ...............

A very disturbing bit of news with strong leanings to alleged switch-hitting factoring in a murder case in St Ann has had some persons disturbed as more has come to light with revenge killing resulting of a bisexual man (known to persons who know) he was not directly involved in the feud but was simply at the wrong place and the wrong time it seems.

Jamar 

Previous gang war in February of this year in the depressed and volatile Steer Town community led to the spilling of blood in the street in Ocho Rios at the weekend of February 20 with the shooting death of an area resident.

Sources connected to steer town and police said a woman played a role in luring out and slaying of 23-year-old Jamar Robinson who was believed to be involved in a recent murder in the Steer Town community. Robinson shot dead Friday night, February 20, was the third person from Steer Town, midway between Drax Hall and Davis Town, to be murdered this year.

NOT REPORTED

Before that Friday’s slaying, the most recent murder of a Steer Town resident took place on Saturday evening, February 7 when a man was shot dead in supposed revenge. Police had issued no report of that incident that came to attention of this newspaper only as North Coast Times investigated reports of growing panic and fear in the community. The man was said to operate a car wash but no other details were available.

Just two weeks earlier, another Steer Town man was murdered on the edge of the community. He is 23-year-old David Ellis also called ‘Ozzy P’ of Damhead, Steer Town, St Ann. He was shot and killed on Thursday, January 22, along the Roaring River Main Road.

Police reports are that about 6:15 pm residents heard explosions and called the police. Ellis’ gunshot-riddled body was found. Reports say three men had walked up to him and opened fire before running away.Saturday night’s shooting comes following a show of force by at least seven armed men in Steer Town last Thursday, ahead of a funeral service for Ellis, Saturday.

SHOW OF FORCE

Reports are that men were seen massed in an area in the community and as a police patrol approached, the men fired a barrage of shots in the area. Residents say they were shocked given that the police were no more than 100 metres away when the men opened fire.

Police sources said they were stepping up their operations in the area and expressed concern over the future of Steer Town, a community with dozens of squatters and high levels of unemployment.Friday night’s shooting was a hit, though police have little details about it. However, investigations by a media outlet revealed that Robinson was blamed for a murder in the area. It is not clear if it was for the death of Ellis. However, reports were that some gang members said they had to “make a duppy” to avenge the death of Ellis, before he was buried.A woman was said to be involved and lured out Robinson, under pretense at a romantic night together. 

He her in Ocho Rios. The were walking along the road in the area of DaCosta Drive, part of the highway in front of Taj Mahal shopping centre when at least two men appeared out of bushes and shot Robinson three times, one of the bullets striking him in the head.

The woman was unharmed and escaped. It is not clear if she left in a car that had taken the men to the area.
Police were called to the scene. A senior officer told The Times Monday that all weekend police were working on the case but he refused to say whether they had any leads or theories about what had happened in that case. Jamar is said to have occasionally had contact within the LGBT entertainment scene but very low keyed.

We have seen previous cases of switch hitting allegedly causes challenges and murder as well for example in these previous posts:

LADY SWITCH HITTERS & THE BOYFRIENDS WHO COMPLAIN … (CROSS-POST FROM BLOGGER)

Star News: “They Were Lesbians” or HERE from GLBTQ Jamaica

Also see: Jamaica : Lesbian Shotta Killed Man in quarrel over women Hope some closure can be brought to this a warfare generally is causing all kinds of challenges.

Peace and tolerance

H