Does the below sound like a threat from Andrew Pilgrim?

‘Cops not fair’

President of the Bar Association of Barbados, Andrew Pilgrim.

The Royal Barbados Police Force is sticking to its position, that officers arrested and charged the right man in connection with the sexual assault of two British visitors in October 2010.

Earlier this month, a local magistrate dismissed the case against former accused Derrick Crawford, after the two women refused to give evidence against him and even hired a lawyer to defend the man, insisting police had the wrong man.

But Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin informed a news conference this morning that, while his administration regretted and was sorry about the unfortunate happening, there was nothing which impugned the investigations of his officers in reaching the conclusion that Crawford was justifiably arrested and charged in April last year for the alleged rape of the women.

Tonight, however, Crawford’s lawyer, Andrew Pilgrim, expressed “disgust” with the comments of the commission, stating that while he expected the chief to say they would get to the bottom of what occurred, it was clear the police were instead “circling the wagons to protect their own”.

In response, Pilgrim warned he was in possession of information on the matter that could embarrass the force, and he was prepared to release it if the police continued along their current path.

In any event, he noted that they would reserve the right to file a lawsuit for defamation against the commissioner over his statements today.

Dottin insisted that it was not true the force sought to protect the reputation of lawmen over the rights of the victims in the assault case. He revealed why the force believed the victims publicly said Crawford was not the person who raped them

“We have drawn some conclusions, we have looked at the files and some other evidence and information available to us; and we have drawn some of our conclusions,” the police chief added.

He drew reference to “significant” research which his investigators had done, mainly academic literature from out of the US, on what is called cross racial issues.

“There are several experiments that show, people are recognising the faces of persons of their own race, rather than a different race. I’m not saying in this case, that this actually happened,” he noted.

Dottin suggested that the real reason the case was dropped was because the two victims decided not to give any evidence against the accused, the proceedings in the magistrate’s court was aimed at making out a prima facie case and that oral as well as written evidence was required to prosecute the case. He said the police also had information which led them to conclude they had the right man. (EJ)

We would appreciate it is Mr. Dottin would give us the cititations to the research so that we can see for ourselves what the research says.

Dear David: Can you ask him to provide the citations please? Thanks.

Back in the early 70’s a little British boy, Davie, was held by the Turkish Police for transporting drugs. The mother and father, a long distance truck driver,pleaded the boy’s innocence . The British public took up the mantle, came out en masse , causing severe pressure to be placed on the Turkish authorities, who had no choice but to reluctantly release young Davie.
Two years after, on the same trucking route in Turkey , Davie’s father and mother were caught red handed transporting drugs. That ,is when the mother admitted openly that when young Davie was arrested a few years previously , he was in fact carrying drugs on his person.
Be careful how you jump on band wagons! Egg on one’s face is not a pleasant sight.

@ David | December 29, 2012 at 12:18 PM |
“The other point is if Andrew Pilgrim has evidence to embarrass Dottin and the police on how this matter was handled. Why the hell he doesn’t say!”

Sounds like a form of blackmail.
Is Andrew holding bargaining chips for some large out-of-court settlement or to be used in future criminal cases he might be involved with, legally that is?
This is the sad state of the justice system in Bim. What a joke in our fast becoming banana republic!
Little England is now Little Banana Republic.

@ Miller
…so are you saying that O$A did indeed succeed in making Barbados a REPUBLIC as promised?……a banana one…?

This case becomes even more embarrassing. Is the commissioner now telling us that he is depending on voodoo criminology to decide if people should be prosecuted or not? Whether they are innocent or guilty?
What is this evidence? He should first issue a public apology to the accused man, admit that his officers got it wrong, carry out an internal inquiry so that this should never happen again, and keep his amateur criminology to himself.
Equally, if lawyer Andrew Pilgrim, defence counsel for the accused, has evidence of police abuse of office and malicious prosecution, this is a serious issue and the bar association should call on him to publish, rather than threaten to make some back room deal with the police, and in any case the attorney general (who appears to be dumb, deaf and blind) should order an inquiry in the the state of the police.
The commissioner is responsible for police operational matters, and in this case that operational matter has been found wanting.
If this is not a case for a public inquiry, then what is?
The commissioner is clearly as buffoon, is the attorney and the director of public prosecution washing their hands of this matter?
What about the Opposition spokesman on legal affairs?

@Bush Tea

This is the point for Buggy’s benefit. The fact that the CoP would cite a fuzzy study to support a position after the case has been thrown out shows a lack of serious judgement. The question must be: how is he inspiring his troops in these challenging times?

@Baffy

Andrew is a lawyer … he train’ to speak like that. Chances are he does not have squat… Wunna people is tek lawyers too damned serious, even when they are involved with politics … which is a natural progression for them since the bulk of their activity is mere pantomime … or did you NOT know this …

In which case he needs to be called out on it.

@ David
INSPIRING?!?!
This joker has been mashing up the police force for years now…
Wunna people don’t listen to bushmen.
do you recall when he was complaining about not being able to get recruits? You think people foolish? Somebody would join an organization where all those inside trying their best to get out…? You think policemen don’t talk….?

Identical thing at the BDF. Anyone with any kind of ability looking to get out – and they forever complaining about not being able to get quality recruits….. Stupseeee

He should not have been in that position anyway. MIA put him there for her own reasons…..and now we got Miller and Amused talking ’bout how good a leader she is…..SMH

….plus Bushie keep asking you how unarmed prisoners could burn down a prison when HUNDREDS of ARMED soldiers, police and prison officers got the whole place overrun from the night before the fire….?
Stupseeeee

@Bushie

And especially when Rev Gordan Mathews has warned them a few weeks before that the prison was about to blow.

Wunna really think that Law inforcement in Barbados will have anything more to do with these two women after the moved to embarrass the whole damned institution … Stupse … Man dey coulda kept their mouths shut and send the man up fah the seven years concurrent and life could go on as usual. But now as it is, life will still go on as usual … and nabody gun get lock up …

As serious a matter as this one is ventilation of the facts only happen here and on other social media sites.The same ones the powers that be want to shut down.It bothers me deeply how a pass is given to some,while others are raked over the coals by the Barbados media.Commissioner Dottin’s failure to issue a public apology should have evoked the ire of those who claim to know what is best for Barbados.Where is the voice that lends itself to the challenge against the nuisance of noise pollution?Where are those that wrote editorial after editorial reminding us that we were about to become the laughing stock of the caribbean?Where are they on this matter?On things parochial they were loud and clear.This one has the potential to deliver a black eye……an international black eye,and theirs is a response of thunderous silence.LONG LIVE SOCIAL MEDIA,for here is where the scale of public opinion,true public opinion find its calibration. That’s why they read these sites first thing every day.

David
That is why I cannot understand how so many persons are saying Mia is this brilliant politician. In my opinion she is a buffoon who talks pretty but no substance.
She failed as Attorney general when it came to the prison and appointing Dottin over the other persons before him.
She also failed as Minister of Education when she introduced Edutech which was a $400 million computer project that had no sustainability but made some people rich.

@ Hants….Here here.Spot on you are.

Myopia is an exact science in many of the human race and the affliction is not confined to positions held or educational attainment.

My only reaction to the commissioner’s statements and reasoning is to have a good laugh.

Bumbling idiots are everywhere and there are more born every day than die.

Am I disheartened? No I am not as such things are expected from the mutant apes that inhabit planet Earth. My be a few more millennia of survival and evolution will result in people imbued with higher levels of rational thought and actions.

No only in Barbados – Consider the youth shot dead in Florida by an ape with a gun and a crazy notion and there followed the weight of opinion justifying his action based on their statements that he was in fear of his life, quite obviously from a youth with a mobile phone to his ear, who was black and was walking.

If you haven’t heard me say it before “The human race is a stinking disgrace”. In less polite circles I tend to use a much less mild adjective.
If anything I think the planet’s people are fast peddling backwards.

Another sad thing about this whole affair, dont you know he said his words to a room full of “Bajan journalists”?

And they just sat there!!!!!!!!!

No outrage, no searching questions afterwards, no “what the fcuk” you saying? No nothing!!!!

They just lap it up and then vomit it back out for the rest of the society. He up on a podium on CBC TV.

The Prime Minister along with his cabinet should follow up on the rumour where it was said that Dottin was being moved to a new position and some young persons were moving up to Commissioner and Deputy. You will be doing something that Barbadians want done. Only the Dale Marshall and the BLP will protest another losing cause.

Caswell calls the PM a fumbler but I think he thinks through most of these problems and come with the best Barbadian solutions unlike Owen Arthur and David Thompson who both fired public servants and then the public taxes had to pay then large settlements.

Then again who would you prefer a Quick thinking Fraud or a slow to action honest man who saved us money.
$600000 could easily have been 6 million if he had followed the advice to fire all the people.

@ Clone | December 29, 2012 at 5:58 PM |
“Then again who would you prefer a Quick thinking Fraud or a slow to action honest man who saved us money.”

If you are referring to your boss man then you should advise him to put his head in gear before accelerating his mouth into action.

A few weeks ago he promised the CLICO policyholders that they will be getting back at least the principal amount of their investments. Now yesterday he is singing from a different hymn sheet or propaganda flyer. He is now awaiting recommendations from the JM’s who should present alternative solutions in March 2013. These recommendations must first meet the approval of governments in the OECS territories.

What a volte face by this man whom you described as decent. Decent people don’t go back on their word. And if they do they tell you why they have to do it; not leaving hanging in the dark like a premature ejaculate.

I agree with Carson Cadogan on the spineless journalists. All the shite talk about which schools people went to and all that crap, the people nowadays are too spineless.
All the I went Cawmere,I went Kolij I went Queens College, I is a Garrisonian, I went St Lucy and all that crap aint mean shit. It is time to end this nonsense talk about schools anyhow because it is rooted in discrimination. Stop the nonsense !(but this is another subject)

Back to the Spineless Journalists

Everybody wants a four by four and a big house and they feel that if they challenge anybody that they will lose their little pick and there goes the Big House and 4 X 4 Dream.
Nobody wants to sacrifice anything, not even a bead of sweat.

There were people in the past that were principled, fearless and committed to a cause. Some of them only went to what was called seventh standard.

@ Millertheformerneutral…the person to whom you refer may very well be amongst us,masked in anonymity.Problem is that after elections the nonsense will continue regardless of which party holds office.Journalism in Barbados is shamefully disgraceful.On both sides of the fence,print and electronic they monitor BU as close as David does,yet I can see no form of response to Caswell’s piece about Courts and the Vat monies.Poor bajans scrunt and save to buy some appliance from Courts.$2,500.Seventeen percent vat is $425.00 they must find before they face the store.The store kept that money,and that does not make news.A man with a half of a spliff does,picture and all.As RPB said They Publish it.

I keep hoping for a MLK moment that……

One day the people with power and assets in Barbados will unite, Bees,Dees and others in a singular cause.

To help Barbados reach its true potential.

But that is only a dream because they are all waiting for a meeting turn and a bonus slice of the fatted calf.

Ok I am wide awake. Sorry for the nonsense I just wrote.

@clone

I agree with you wholeheartedly, eduwaste as I called it allowed a number of people to get rich and get promoted. it was a massive waste of taxpayers’ money. Can you show me how we have benefitted from that wasteful cavalier spending spree?

The COP is doing his job for the benefit of his officers, he is circling the wagons so that they can repel attacks about this affair from the public. He won’t throw his officers under the bus for the sake of this investigation, however some of these people in “high” positions have poor communication skills and they are unable to articulate a coherent position. Generally this is not a handicap in Bim as they are usually speaking to a compliant Press who don’t want to or are prevented from rocking the boat.

In other countries people who rise to the position of COP often receive media relations training so that can talk at length while saying nothing. This is not the first time that a senior officer has had to defend his officers about a botched investigation and it won’t be the last, hopefully there are some lessons learned…..…

Can someone explain why there some Lawyers in Barbados who cannot communicate a clear, continuous and logical presentation? I thought that was part of their training when presenting argument to the court. The COP and Kenny Best come to mind.

There definately a need to be an inquiry into the workinhgs of the Royal Barbados Police Force. The A.G seems to be willfully blinding himself to the glaring evidence that there are cases of miscarriage of justices to use the words of C O P Dottin.
Let us not forget that a few years ago there were a number of gases that had to b discontinued because an accused by the name of Corbin was in prison when a number of crimes he confessed to occured whilst he was still in prison. Like Crawford’s case there were signed confessions. I would like the C O P also to address these issues. There are many other instances when such allegations were made.
Base on the analysis of Mr Dottin why is it still necessary to conduct identification parades involving white victims if all blacks look alike. Were any inentification Parades held in relation to the police officers accused of the offences againts the visitors recently. Since according to Mr Dottins view on whites seeing all blacks as look alikes why did he not just instructed that those parades were a waste of time and just use the hat that was found as evidence,.
Mr Dottin grant the people of Barbados some intelligence even if you cannot do the same for yourself. is it not the very police that charged Mr Crawford that presented this peculiar knowledge, is it not a fact that a similar incident was reported with the same description and modus.
i could have conceded if there was only one victim but two mature and intelligent women; whether white or black give them some credit. It appears that the government and you are prepared to rape the victims all over again. This certainly is casting Barbados in a very bad light. I must wonder what effect this will have on a limping tourism industry.
Seems that you have not learnt from being a square peg in a round hole but is prepared to continue to plug round holes with square pegs.