Former Attorney-General Cajeton Hood has told THE NEW TODAY that Police are planning to charge six crew members including the Captain of Harbour Master in connection with Wednesday night’s incident in which Grenada’s double world Javelin champion, Anderson Peters was beaten up and thrown overboard from the party vessel.
“It appears that there is an intention to charge everyone who was involved. No charges have been laid as yet,” said Hood in a brief interview conducted Friday.
“The stage of the matter is not at the point where charges have been laid. The police are investigating and questioning people – taking statements and so on,” he added.
The attorney-at-law made the comment as his son Benjamin Hood, also a barrister-at-law, was at Central Police station on the Carenage in St George to help the detained Trinidadians who are being interrogated by a party of officers attached to the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF).
The two Hoods along with another attorney Francis Paul have been retained by the Trinidad-based owners of Harbour Master to represent the interest of the crew members who were taken into police custody minutes after the incident involving the world Javelin champion.
The defense lawyer was cautious when asked if his clients had given any indication as to what caused the brawl with Peters.
Hood said: “There was a boat cruise and for some reason or another a scuffle broke out. I don’t know why it escalated to the point where somebody was pushed overboard. It was not an unprovoked incident, I can tell you that – I know that for a fact.”
“I don’t have the fine details but it was a provoked incident. The crew went out, they came back and there was another cruise about to start. The crew of the ship was trying to clear the people who were on the former cruise for the other people coming on.”
“Anderson Peters was on the cruise that just came in so in that process I don’t know who pushed whom or who did what and what and so on. I don’t know who started it but I know for sure it was started by somebody who assaulted somebody and then the whole thing broke out.”
“It was not just where somebody met somebody and gang up on them for no reason. It was an incident that had some conversation in it – that much I know for sure one hundred percent.”
Hood expressed concern with the fact that Grenadians are just jumping to conclusions without having any evidence in their possession of what actually transpired on the night of the incident on the vessel.
THE NEW TODAY has seen confidential information from RGPF which indicated that Peters along with two other locals who were injured in the brawl on board the Harbour Master had filed formal complaints against the crew members of the vessel.
It reads: “Based on information received of a fight occurring at the entrance to the Harbour Master boat, a party of officers headed by D/C #02 Johnson left on enquiries there.
They returned to the station and brought in the following persons:
(1) Anderson Peters, 24 yrs of Soubise, St Andrew who complained against a group of men for beating him all over his body and throwing him into the sea water. He was issued a medical form and taken to seek medical.
(2) Kiddon Peters, 31yrs of Soubise, St Andrew who complained that someone punched him in his left eye. He was issued a medical form and taken to seek medical attention.
(3) Abiola Benjamin, 40yrs Police Officer, a citizen of Trinidad residing at Grand Anse, St. George who complained of being slapped in the face by someone. He was also detained in connection with causing Harm.
(4) Mikhail John, 35yrs, Sailor of Trinidad in connection with causing harm. He was issued a medical form.
(5) Noel Cooper, 42, Captain of Trinidad in connection with Causing Harm.
(6) Lance Wiggins, 45 yrs, Sailor of Trinidad in connection with Causing Harm.
(7) Shean Jack 28yrs Sailor of Trinidad in connection with Causing harm. He was given a medical form.
All Trinidadian Nationals issued with medical forms were not taken to seek medical attention immediately because the two complainants were taken to the Hospital and for avoidance of further altercations.
All detained persons were informed of their rights while in custody and they were allowed to speak with their attorney at law Dylan Charles who visited them at this station.
Investigation continues.”