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City cop committed to stand trial for killing mentally ill man in 2018
Kaieteur News – A City Constabulary Lance Corporal, who allegedly shot and killed a mentally ill prisoner in 2018, was yesterday committed to stand trial in the High Court for murder.
Committed to stand trial: Gregory Bascom
The accused, Gregory Bascom, 52, of Lot 340 West Ruimveldt, Housing Scheme, Georgetown, yesterday made his appearance before Senior Magistrate Leron Daly in the Georgetown Magistrates’ Courts.
When the matter was called the Magistrate ruled that based on the evidence presented to the court, a sufficient case was made out against the accused for him to stand trial at the next practical sitting of the Demerara Assizes.
Bascom was not required to plead to the indictable charge which alleged that on January 14, 2018, at Regent Road Bourda, Georgetown, he unlawfully killed Marlon Fredericks.
On his first court appearance, Bascom was granted $800,000 bail with conditions — that he lodge his passport at the Court registry and report every Friday to the Alberttown Police Station.
Dead: Marlon Fredericks
According to reports, Marlon Fredericks, 34, who was unarmed, was shot by Bascom as he escaped from detention at the Bourda Market Outpost.
The Tiger Bay resident, who was described as mentally ill, was shot in his mother’s presence as he ran out of the Outpost where he was being detained on allegations of simple larceny, assault, and for assaulting a peace officer.
It was alleged that Fredericks and two others were in custody at the City Constabulary Outpost at Regent and Bourda Streets, Georgetown. He had forced his way out of the lockup when ranks opened a door to allow another prisoner to use the toilet.
Bascom reportedly tried to restrain Fredericks but he allegedly wrestled free from him and others. Bascom then shot Fredericks in his lower back with a service pistol.
Fredericks had previously attempted to escape the grip of ranks of the City Constabulary Office but was chased, beaten, and taken into custody.
Video footage shared on social media showed 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. She said that she knew he smoked marijuana.
Mrs. Fredericks had visited her son at the Constabulary Outpost on Sunday January 14, 2018. 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.”
An ambulance arrived one hour later but by then Fredericks was already dead. Since the incident happened Bascom has been interdicted from duty at the City Constabulary.
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