Mentally ill man was threat to community – relative

Jan 17, 2013 News

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A relative of Jermaine Hamilton, the man killed Tuesday evening in Beterverwagting, said that the 37-year-old was a threat to his community because of his violent and deranged behaviour.

Agnes Hamilton, the dead man’s great aunt, said that she is hurt by her great nephew’s departure, but his death via conflict comes as no surprise.
According to her, Hamilton was constantly involved in disputes with people in and out of the neighbourhood, and was thus frequently in trouble with the law. She claimed that because of the man’s behaviour, persons in the village had become fearful of him because he steadily attacked and threatened those around.
Hamilton said that her nephew, a patient of psychiatric doctor, Bhiro Harry, took medication to deal with his unstable condition, but she believes that he used his situation to get over people by driving fear to get his way.
Through her husband, Hamilton said she became acquainted with her great nephew. Almost three years ago, she said, she took him into her home after he was released from prison. For about two years, the 37-year-old man lived at her Lot 106 Beterverwagting Sideline Dam home, since she alone occupied the premises.
That, she said, was until he threatened to kill her and she became fearful for her life and “put him out.”  He was then taken to Melanie Damishana, another East Coast Demerara village to live with relatives, the woman said.
Hamilton remembered that her nephew returned to live with her after he and one of the relatives in Melanie Damishana had a conflict. That relative, she explained, was the now dead Jermaine Hamilton’s uncle.
Hamilton said that her nephew returned to her home but was again put out after he threatened to kill her daughter who lives oblique to her. Ever since, the woman said that she had been keeping her distance.
“He would come round and he would say Nanny I out here. I would answer and acknowledge his presence but I maintained my distance. He won’t go home. He would be on the streets the whole time.” Hamilton said that in the last couple of years, her nephew’s attitude worsened. Having been released from jail, she said his attitude never changed despite the medication he was given.
She said that the death of her nephew was the first thing that greeted her yesterday morning. The elderly woman said on Tuesday evening she wasn’t feeling well and had retired to bed very early.
Yesterday morning, she said, she was awakened when a friend telephoned to tell her of Hamilton’s death. “I am not surprised,” she told Kaieteur News. “He finds himself in problem, always threatening people and promising to bore dem up and ting.”
“Only Monday he attacked the neighbour’s daughter with a cutlass and they went to the station. Another time, a woman come to me and say how he try fuh attack her two granddaughters. Before that he buss a man belly; that’s how he went to jail,” Hamilton continued.
The elderly woman said that she however understands that her nephew was beaten to death. She said she has no idea who did it, but she heard that he was beaten because he attacked someone.
Residents in the area were tight lipped. Many of those questioned said they did not know the dead man while others said they saw him around but made no contact. Some said that Hamilton was regarded as a mad man so no one paid him any attention.
Yesterday, blood stains were still visible at the place where Hamilton died. Strands of dreadlocks were also seen about the walkway where the man was said to have met his demise. It is alleged that around 17:00hours on Tuesday, Hamilton attacked an off-duty police officer who was returning from visiting a friend.
Reports said that Hamilton while armed with a cutlass and a knife assaulted the rank, causing him minor injuries. Civilians reportedly went to the cop’s aid and Hamilton was hurt in the process.  A woman said she heard thudding noises and when she looked outside, Hamilton’s motionless body was seen lying on the walkway.
He was eventually taken to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Authorities late last year had been expressing concern over the sporadic attack on citizens by persons of unsound mind. Towards the end of November last year, a 15-year-old student of the Brickdam Secondary School escaped with his life after a vicious attack by a mentally challenged man outside the Parliament Building.
Minister of Human Services Jennifer Webster had expressed concern over the issue and said that the issue of mentally ill persons was one that required medical attention.  Health Minister, Dr. Bheri Ramsarran had told this publication that the situation concerning these persons was unfortunate and there is no excuse for the attacks.
He pointed out that the problem of mentally ill persons on streets requires a collaborative multi-agency effort, involving his Ministry, the Ministry of Human Services and Home Affairs and other Non-Governmental Organizations.

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