Court frees St Ann businessman of 2016 cop killing

St Ann businessman Kevin Harris, who was accused of fatally shooting a policeman in Ocho Rios 10 years ago, was on Wednesday freed in the St Ann Circuit Court after the Crown agreed he acted in self-defence.

When the case came up the prosecutor said on review of the court's file, he could not negate Harris' assertion that he acted in self-defence when he shot Constable Shane Francis, formerly of the Ocho Rios Police in St Ann.

He was pleaded and subsequently found not guilty.

The court was told that on April 17, 2016, both men were at an entertainment event at Calypso Cove in Ocho Rios when an altercation developed between them.

Francis was shot and killed by Harris, a licensed firearm holder, during the incident.

Harris reported the matter to the police after the incident.

An investigation was launched and he was subsequently arrested and charged with murder.

He made numerous court appearances and maintained that Francis had pulled a firearm from his waistband and threatened to kill him and he fired hitting the policeman in defence of his life.

Harris was represented by attorneys Tom Tavares-Finson and Oswest Senior-Smith.

- Rasbert Turner

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