Prosecution rests case between police officer, security guard

The prosecution has closed its case in the matter where security officer Alvin Spencer stands accused of assaulting a police officer.{{more}}

The case, which began last Friday at the Kingstown Magistrate’s

Court, heard evidence from the Police Constable Elron Lewis, who told the court, that sometime after 7 a.m., on May 23, 2014, he arrived on duty at the Postal Corporation when, close to the loading bay area of the building, a woman approached him for assistance.

Lewis, who was standing outside, told the court that he did not want to enter the security code on the keypad to gain entrance to the building in the presence of the woman.

He added that he pressed the buzzer on the door so that someone inside would open it for him to enter.

Spencer opened that door.

As he stood close to the door speaking to the woman, Lewis said Spencer spoke to him in a rough manner and then held the door and slammed it against him, resulting in him being struck on the face.

When Lewis told Spencer he was going to arrest him, he said Spencer punched him.

The police officer then attempted to hold on to Spencer, which resulted in both men tussling with each other.

Key prosecution witness Charlene Rodriguez, in her testimony, told the court that when she arrived at work, she saw Spencer pass her, heading towards the direction of the loading bay.

“I heard him saying to Lewis that he was not allowed to open the door. He told the officer that he got word from the director of the postal corporation that the door shouldn’t remain opened,” Rodriguez said, adding that Lewis was at the time standing between the door.

According to Rodriguez, she heard when Lewis told Spencer that he was trying to assist a customer outside.

“Spencer was speaking in a loud tone of voice and Lewis was just saying that he wanted to assist the customer,” she added.

During this time, Rodriguez said Lewis was inside the building when Spencer told him that he was not allowed to walk through that area.

“There was then a tugging of the door between the both of them. Lewis asked Spencer why he was behaving like that. Lewis then made his way outside, when Spencer gave the door one hard push,” Rodriguez recalled.

“Spencer made his way to the director’s office and I heard him shouting, Mrs Ollivierre, Mrs Ollivierre, you need to come deal with this police officer. He said, ‘I am carrying out my instructions and he’s not listening’.”

Rodriguez said the officer entered the building from another door and went into the the director’s office, stating that he was going to report Spencer for assaulting him.

She said both parties began speaking loudly and were told to calm down by the director.

“At that point, I heard a scream from Ms Ollivierre (dirtector) and she said, ‘Spencer no! Watch ignorance…’ I peeped through the door and saw Spencer box Lewis. At one point, he (Spencer) scuffled him at his neck and was boxing him.

“I saw Lewis pull his gun and was saying, ‘Spencer, what happen to you? Relax!’ Mrs Ollivierre ran out the office and everyone who was in the area was screaming. The scuffle made its way out of the office and into the corridor where another came and parted them,” she said.

In his testimony, Spencer, a resident of Pembroke and an ex-police officer, told the court that he saw Lewis standing outside the loading bay area and the door’s buzzer went off.

“I pushed the door and jammed it with a flower pot and asked him (Lewis) to enter the building quickly. I told him the door was left opened to the public earlier, so for security reasons we can’t leave it open,” Spencer said.

“He held onto the door and was speaking to someone when I told him to come in. He (Lewis) told me that I am a civilian and he is a police officer so I can’t tell him to come in.”

Spencer said he used his foot to push away the flower pot that was used to jam the door and Lewis was still holding on.

He added that it was impossible for him to strike Lewis with the door since the hinge placed on it only allowed it to swing freely outwards, but took some time for it to close.

Spencer said while they were in the director’s office, Lewis rushed him and said he was going to report against him.

“I try to fend him off with my hand, but he hat drop off and like he go crazy. He pull his firearm and crank it and I still trying to fend him off. I was scared and I pleaded with him to put down the gun,” Spencer stated.

Spencer also stated that he will never box a police officer.

Spencer’s lawyer, Jaundy Martin, is expected to call three witnesses to give testimony.

Crown counsel in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions Karim Nelson leads the prosecution’s case and temporary magistrate Carla James is presiding over the matter.(KW)