245 / 494
244
9.85.
As to the code of silence among residents of Tivoli Gardens
who testified, we have explained in this Report our recognition of this
attitude or behaviour as well as our understanding of the reason for
residents’ hesitancy in being more forthcoming in identifying persons
who erected barricades – see Chapter 6. Witnesses for the security
forces were at pains to inform the Enquiry that members of the Shower
Posse still reside and operate in Tivoli Gardens and the culture of this
gang allows for reprisals against persons who may be seen to threaten
its operations. We therefore took into account that many of the civilian
witnesses testified fearing that if their evidence identified persons still
alive within the community, they might be subject to reprisals. We are
surprised that Counsel should rely on the evidence of Minnette Lindsay
which was destroyed by Counsel during cross-examination. We have
rejected her evidence as being untrustworthy.
(x)
Radcliffe Freeman
Marjorie Hinds
9.86.
Ms. Hinds lived at Flat N, Building #2, Chang Avenue. On 24 May,
she woke up about 1.30 p.m. and was told that her fiancé, Radcliffe Freeman,
had gone outside. She went to the kitchen and saw him on Levy Path “up top
Java” standing and talking to a friend. He was fixing the door of a neighbour’s
house. She spoke with him and started to go back home.
9.87.
On her way back to her house “something lift me up and then it
fling me out in the road”. She became unconscious and spent 4 weeks in KPH.
When she regained consciousness, her buttocks and a foot were burnt and her
right arm was disabled. She never saw Radcliffe again. They were in a
relationship since 1993 and intended to get married in 2010. For 3 months after
she left hospital, Ms. Hinds recuperated at her sister’s home.