PI into shooting death of mentally ill man continues

Aug 30, 2019 News

Fifty-five-year-old Gregory Bascom, a Lance Corporal of the City Constabulary, who is accused of shooting and killing a mentally ill prisoner, appeared on Wednesday before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly, as the preliminary inquiry into the matter continued.

Accused: Gregory Bascom

Dead: Marlon Fredericks

Police prosecutor Vishnu Hunte is expected to call three more witnesses to testify.
Bascom, of 340 West Ruimveldt Housing Scheme, was not required to the plead to the indictable charge which stated that on January 14, 2019, at Regent Road Bourda, Georgetown, he unlawfully killed Marlon Fredericks.
The defendant is being represented by Attorney-at-law Joseph Yearwood and he is currently out on bail; Yearwood cross-examined the two witnesses who testified on Wednesday.
According to information, Fredericks, 34, was unarmed at the time he was shot, allegedly by Bascom, after he tried to escape from detention at the Bourda Market Outpost.
The deceased, who is a resident of Tiger Bay, was described as mentally ill.
The man was shot in the presence of his mother, as he ran out of the Outpost, where he was being detained on allegations of simple larceny, assault, and assaulting a peace officer.
Reports stated that Fredericks and two others were in custody at the City Constabulary Outpost at Regent and Bourda Streets, Georgetown, and he forced his way out of the lockup when ranks opened a door to allow another prisoner to use the toilet.
Bascom tried to restrain Fredericks, but Fredericks allegedly wrestled free from him and others. Fredericks was then shot in his lower back with a service pistol, allegedly by Bascom. Fredericks had previously attempted to escape the grip of ranks of the City Constabulary Office, but was chased, beaten, and taken into custody.
Videos shared on social media had shown Fredericks being kicked by a man, believed to be a former law enforcement officer, before he was taken into custody.
A post mortem confirmed that Fredericks was shot in the back. It also revealed that the bullet pierced the lungs and exited the left side of the victim’s neck.
The dead man’s mother, Claudette Fredericks, said that her son had suffered from mental illness for over 10 years.
Mrs. Fredericks had visited her son at the Constabulary Outpost.
She related that on reaching the Outpost, she saw her son running towards her. Mrs. Fredericks said she shouted and told her son to stop.
“The next thing I heard was a loud noise and my son dropped to the ground.”

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