Brothers Awarded $30k Over Unlawful Arrest in 2021 Murder Case

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Two brothers have been awarded $30,000 in damages after a judge found that police unlawfully arrested and detained them during a murder investigation.

Justice Leif Farquharson awarded Emerson Bethel and Gerald Bethel $15,000 each, plus legal costs after finding police lacked reasonable suspicion to detain and question them about the April 4, 2021 murder of Anthony Rolle.

He was shot dead while playing dominoes with friends on Nassau Street.

Before he died, Rolle allegedly told police officers that the man who shot him hangs out with ‘Fat Boy’ from Bain Town.

The brothers were arrested at their convenience shop in Augusta Street, which is in close proximity to the crime scene on April 14, 2021 and detained for 23 hours.

Arresting Officer Inspector Marc Taylor testified that he arrested the brothers after getting information from a confidential informant.

Taylor acknowledged that there was no information that Fat Boy was at the murder scene or in any way involved in the murder.

Both men denied that they were known by the alias Fat Boy.

Police questioned 10 people during the investigation before charging John Elliot with the incident.

Justice Farquharson noted that the nickname Fat Boy was not uncommon in a country with a high rate of obesity.

K Melvin Munroe represented the Bethels while Randolph Dames represented the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General.