Another delay in Vere Bird III civil suit

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Three years after attempting to seek compensation for what he said was wrongful prosecution by the state, attorney Vere Bird III said he is frustrated but not deterred by another delay in the trial.
The civil proceeding in the High Court should have commenced on Wednesday before Justice Roselyn Wilkinson, but Bird said the state’s star witness was sick with the “flu”, and this development delayed the trial for the third time this year.
“This is another time it has been adjourned for the year. The judge was sick two times – on February 21 and May 2 – and now Mr Alvin Thomas was sick,” Bird told OBSERVER media yesterday.
Bird, and Jim Galloway (now deceased) filed a suit against the state, Attorney General Justin Simon, QC, Police Commissioner, and two other senior police officers.
The claimants allege that police officers beat, cursed, abused and falsely imprisoned them in January 2013, and that lawmen maliciously prosecuted them over the January 22 picket they staged outside Shoul’s Toys Gifts and Housewares close to the St John’s Police Station.
The men were summoned to appear in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court to answer a charge of obstructing a police officer executing his lawful duty. The charge was dismissed on July 8, 2013 because the prosecution brought no evidence against them, however, it was re-filed on July 22, 2013 but it has not been dealt with to date.
His and Galloway’s civil suit was filed later that year.
He said that the case was to be called some time in October and November 2016 but was never heard because there were too many cases being dealt with in the court.
“So, it’s four times this matter was to be called and we are going into the fifth time, so we will see where we are going from here. Am I anxious? Yes. Am I deterred or want to give up, or not continue? No way in hell, we will see this to the very end,” Bird said.
The claimant said he is now awaiting word from the court about his new date and he anticipates that the trial which is expected to be completed in one day, will be recalled later this year.
Bird said he will call three witnesses and the state should have three.

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