Manchester Cops Freed: Two policemen who were convicted the Manchester Circuit Court in 2014 for the murder of 27-year-old mason Anthony Richards, at the Alligator Pond Beach in Manchester on January 1, 2010 and were serving 25 years in prison, were freed on Friday by the Appeal Court.
The New Year’s Day shooting led to a mass protest in the South Manchester fishing village during which residents damaged the Alligator Pond Police Station and other properties
The policemen previously testified that they were sent to the beach by their superiors to investigate reports that two men were robbing patrons on the beach at Alligator Pond. The law officers said that they opened fire after being challenged by Mr. Richards and Mr. Dixon, one armed with a gun and the other a knife.
Manchester Cops Freed: The Court quashed the conviction and sentence of Detectives Leonard Lindsay and Tyrone Findley. In throwing out the case, the Appeal Court ruled that the trial judge failed to give the proper direction to the jury. The Court also agreed with the cops that they were acting in self-defence after a gun was seized in the incident.
Mr. Dixon, who was shot twice, testified at the trial that he survived by pretending to be dead.
He testified that a knife was planted on him.
The policemen, who have since been converted to the Muslim faith while in prison, praised “Allah” for the victory after the ruling.
