—demand murder charge for cop who killed Orin Boston
Dissatisfied with the manslaughter charge laid against Police Constable Sherwin Peters, who reportedly shot and killed Businessman Orin Boston in his sleep, residents of Dartmouth, in protest, have blocked the main access road in the village.
The fiery protest erupted on Tuesday morning – some four days after Peters, who formed part of a SWAT Unit that breached Boston’s home last September, was charged with manslaughter and released on $1M bail.
In an interview on Tuesday, Boston’s father, Orin Boston Snr. said that Peters should be charged with murder and not manslaughter, detailing that his son, just 29-year-old and a father of two, was shot and killed in his sleep at his Dartmouth residence.
“How could it be manslaughter, when a man shoot a man cold blooded in his bed?” Boston Snr. questioned. The grieving father refuted claims that it was a confrontation between the SWAT Unit and his son that led to the fatal shooting. “There was no confrontation, there was no confrontation. The man was shot in his bed cold blooded,” he maintained while adding that Peters must be charged for murder.
He said the other members of the SWAT Unit, who were represent when his son was fatally shot on September 15, must also be held responsible. “They supposed to be charge also because they have to say who send them there [and] the reason why. My son hadn’t a criminal charge, he wasn’t wanted by the police, so what was the reason,” Boston Snr. said while contending that from all indications it appears as though, the SWAT Unit was sent to kill his son.
He said while the Government had assured his family that justice would be served, “that’s no justice.” He also expressed dissatisfaction with the manner in which the investigation was conducted, the length of time it took before Peters was charged, and lack of information on the investigation and case. It was noted that his family and their lawyer were not provided with the requisite information.
Boston Snr. said life for Orin Boston’s family has not been easy since his passing, particularly since he was the sole breadwinner. On behalf of his grandchildren, Boston Snr. in 2021 filed for public assistance. The application is pending.
Opposition Member of Parliament Shurwayne Holder, who is currently on the ground speaking with the protesters, told Village Voice News that based on information gathered thus far, the protest erupted around 3:30hrs hours with the blocking of Dartmouth’s main bridge. Debris including tyres were reportedly set alight in demand for justice.
MP Holder said Boston’s family and the residents of Dartmouth are upset that Peters was charged for manslaughter and not murder. He said too based on his interaction with Boston’s family, there is a high level of dissatisfaction with regards to the treatment of the case, explaining that the dead man’s family was not informed of the police’s intention to charge Peters, or the date of his court appearance.
According to reports, attempt by the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Fire Service to clear the blocked bridge was met resistance, causing them to retreat.
