Youth shot dead by cops in Ochi was recently convicted of gun crime and let off
A man, shot dead during an armed robbery in Ocho Rios, had only months ago been allowed to go home rather than to prison when he pleaded guilty to a gun crime in court. In fact, cops say they had brought in Lamar Miller of Harrison Town on Thursday, June 12, counselling him to give up a life of crime. Two days later Miller was dead, with police bullets to his body.
A TIMES EXCLUSIVE
Attorney-at-law Robert Brown was left in a state of shock and disappointment in court on Tuesday, June 17 upon hearing that one of his previous clients, a young man was shot and killed by police, two months after being released on a suspended sentence for violent, gun crimes. Dead is 20-year-old Lamar Miller otherwise called ‘Tuppy’ of Harrison Town, St Ann. Miller was killed reportedly by police after he allegedly attempted to rob a shop in Great Pond, near Ocho Rios, St Ann on Friday, June 13. Reports are that three men, posing as customers, entered a shop on Martin Christie Street, also called Pasture Lane, Great Pond in a bid to rob the shopkeeper. One of the men, who had brandished a gun, reportedly jumped the counter and stole phone cards and cash. While the men were in the shop, are residents had summoned police and during a confrontation, Miller, one of the alleged robbers was shot and wounded. He was pronounced dead at hospital
The other two robbers escaped.
Police say one 9 millimetre Browning pistol containing nine rounds was seized in the incident. The matter has been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM). There were reports that another man was shot. However, the Area Two police say they cannot confirm those reports. Miller was allegedly involved in a number of crimes, mainly robberies in the parish.
SECOND CHANCE
Lamar Miller was recently before the St Ann Circuit court for robbery with aggravation and illegal possession of firearm. He was convicted for the crimes after pleading guilty but was given a two-year suspended sentence. Meaning he escaped going to jail and would have served the sentence only if he committed himself. When Miller appeared in the Hilary session of the St Ann Circuit Court in March, his lawyer, Robert Brown made a strong appeal to the court to give Miller a second chance at redeeming himself and becoming a better citizen of society. In making his appeal to the presiding Judge at the time, Justice Marjorie Cole-Smith, Mr Brown indicated that he offered Miller help in a bid to get him enrolled in school to learn a skill. Additionally in his closing statement to the court, Mr Brown said he provided counselling for Miller on several occasions in an attempt to shift his attention from a life of crime. On hearing the lawyer’s appeal, Mrs Justice Smith also begged Miller to turn away from crime, learn a skill and get a job. Mrs Smith said, “Jamaica is losing its young men”, and implored Miller to learn from his experience before the court and change his ways. Justice Smith then gave him a suspended sentence of two years for robbery and aggravation and illegal possession of firearm. A suspended sentence means Miller would walk free and have an opportunity to work and stay away from a life of crime. However, if he was caught committing any crimes, he would have been remanded and ordered to serve a full sentence for the crimes he committed. Miller however did not take heed but continued to commit crimes. For the crimes to which he pleaded guilty and could have been sent to prison, Miller held up a woman at gun point and stole her smart phone. When the North Coast Times sought to get a response from his lawyer in court last Tuesday, he was not yet aware of the killing. Mr Brown was shocked when he heard the news and the circumstances surrounding Millers death. “When I looked at him, I saw my son because he was young and that’s why I agreed to take the case. I begged him to return to school and (I) counselled him for several hours. I cannot believe he threw his life away,” said Mr Brown. Police officers at the Ocho Rios station said they also counselled Miller just last week about the crimes he committed in a bid to get him to change his behaviour. One officer told The Times that days before his last crime, they sat Miller down and begged him to turn away from crime as they had several reports about his involvement. “He just laughed at us,” the cop told The Times.
