A five-member panel of jurors yesterday held that members of the Guyana Police Force are criminally liable for the deaths of fugitive Linden ‘Blackie’ London and Rhonda Forde.

Delivering their unanimous verdict at the conclusion of the Coroner’s Inquest into the deaths of London and Forde, the panel found that two members of the force, Police Constable Eustace Abraham and Lance Corporal Kord Sobers, were liable for London’s death. Those members of the force, who initially engaged London in an armed confrontation, were found jointly liable for Forde’s death.

London, who was wanted in connection with the September 1999 America Street and January 2000 NIS robberies, was fatally shot on February 9, 2000, following an 11-hour confrontation with members of the joint services at the Toucan Suites Guest House, Eccles, East Bank Demerara. There have been conflicting reports as to the death of Forde with some suggesting she might have been accidentally shot by the police, while others say London might have shot her.

The inquest, which commenced in February 2002 upon a recommendation by the Chambers of the Director of Public Prosecutions, sought to determine when, where and how London and Forde met their deaths and if anyone was criminally culpable.

The hearing resumed yesterday before Senior Magistrate Melissa Robertson-Ogle, who, prior to the jury’s deliberation, delivered a summary of the testimony given by the 24 witnesses summoned to give evidence.

After deliberating for nearly forty-five minutes, the jurors returned and the foreman told the Coroner that they had reached a unanimous verdict.

The jurors agreed that London died on the morning of February 9th, 2000 in the back of a police vehicle while on the way to the Georgetown Public Hospital. The jurors also concurred that London had received fatal wounds as a result of multiple gunshots during a hail of gunfire when he emerged from the guest house, having already surrendered.

According to the jury’s determination, Abraham and Sobers, who are both attached to the Anti-Crime Task Force unit, commonly known as the Target Special Squad or `Black Clothes,’ along with the driver of the police vehicle, are responsible for London’s death. They noted that according to the post-mortem report, London had suffered burn marks on his body which could have only been inflicted at close range. Thus, the jury found that Abraham and Sobers, who rode with London to the hospital, and the driver of the vehicle, who was never named, are culpable for his death.

As for Forde, they agreed that the mother of two died of multiple injuries as a result of gunshot wounds. They further concurred that Forde’s wounds were sustained during a rapid gunfire attack which was launched at the guest house by the police officers who were the first to arrive at the scene. These officers were however not named.

The jury’s verdict is to be considered by the Chambers of the DPP which will determine whether charges ought to be laid against any of the individuals found criminally responsible for London and Forde’s deaths.

The attorney for the police, Vic Puran, was absent at yesterday’s hearing.