Four Grenada cops charged with manslaughter in beating death of Toronto man
TORONTO — Four Grenadian police officers face what prosecutors call unprecedented criminal charges in the beating death of a visitor from Canada during the Christmas holidays six years ago, a case that sparked widespread anger and grief on the Caribbean island.
The manslaughter charges come after a coroner’s inquest jury last week returned manslaughter verdicts against the officers in the killing of Oscar Bartholomew on Boxing Day 2011.
Christopher Nelson, the country’s director of public prosecution, said on Tuesday that the coroner committed the officers for trial at the country’s High Court as required by the inquest verdict, and the hearing would likely begin in January.
“Citizens were still looking out for justice to be done,” Nelson told The Canadian Press from Grenada. “There was a perception that nothing was happening or nothing will happen, so this decision will reassure the public and the international community that our justice system is working, albeit the wheels are turning slowly.”