Latest update February 23rd, 2025 1:40 PM
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Teen shot in mouth sued state for $30M
– also seeking damages against Top Cop and Cadet Officer
Fifteen-year-old Alex Griffith, through his attorney Dexter Todd, is suing the State for $30M, resulting from the shooting
Cadet Officer Franz Paul
in his mouth by a Police Cadet Officer almost three months ago.
Citing several articles of the Constitution of Guyana, the teenager is alleging that the state breached his constitutional rights in many ways.
He is also asking the court for damages totaling $5M from Cadet Officer Franz Paul and Commissioner of Police, Seelall Persaud, for false imprisonment and assault and battery.
Griffith was taken from his home in April last when the Police Cadet Officer allegedly rushed into his home and dragged him out of his house to question him about a robbery he was told that the teen witnessed.
The robbery victim is the sister of the same policeman.
Although Griffith repeatedly told the policemen that he did not “see anything”, the Cadet Officer allegedly kept beating him before dragging him out of his yard and driving off with him.
A gun was eventually placed into his mouth by the cop who later pulled the trigger in Russian roulette style, sending a bullet through the back of the teenager’s head.
“I felt my ears ringing and I was feeling pain, then I hear one of the policemen saying how the boy bleeding bad (and) ‘we got to take he to the hospital’. I was dumped in the vehicle and taken to the hospital,” the teenager said in his affidavit to support his claim.
Griffith is contending that the State breached articles 141 and 154 of the Constitution, which deals with his fundamental right against torture and degrading treatment.
Citing article 139, he is also accusing the state of depriving him of his personal liberty, since he was
Shot teenager Alex Griffith and his mother Marcelle.
falsely detained without charge.
The matter was filed yesterday in the High Court. However, according to reports, it has not yet been served on the respondents.
Days after the incident, Griffith’s mother Marcelle Griffith turned down compensation that was offered to her by the policeman.
The boy’s mother had told the media that she had been receiving a number of telephone calls from persons claiming to be Attorneys representing the interest of the policeman. She claimed that the persons had offered her up to $2 Million to settle the matter. The police Cadet Officer has since been charged and is currently on bail.
Meanwhile, a group calling itself The Georgetown Hub of the Global Shapers Community, has said in a recent statement that it is deeply saddened not only by this act, but by similar incidents that are in direct contravention of Article # 5 of the United Nations Declaration on Human Rights which states: “No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.”
The group described itself as a collection of young Guyanese citizens who, in many ways, are exceptional in their potential, and work to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the country as a whole.
It is part of a global non-political, non-partisan and social development community, geared towards promoting the greater good for all human kind.
“In keeping with our core beliefs, the Georgetown Hub renders unequivocal support of the basic human rights for all individuals living within our beautiful country. As a result, the members of the Georgetown Hub would like to encourage the relevant authorities to take swift action against all rogue elements who continue to tarnish the reputation of the Guyana Police Force,” the body stated.
It said that as young citizens, the members are extremely concerned about the frequency of allegations and seeming trend of human rights violations that continues to plague Guyana.
“Moreso, our concerns squarely lay in the realization that these acts of brutality are perpetrated by the very officers who took a solemn oath to serve and protect our citizens.”
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