Former cop to stand trial in the death of Dominica-born police officer

BASSTERRE (CMC):

A former police offcer has been committed to stand trial in the death of a Dominica-born police officer, who died in 2016, a month after he had been shot while responding to a larceny report.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Andre Mitchell has confirmed that Dijon Warner, who was deported from the United States in November last year after serving a five-year sentence in the North American country, has now been charged in connection with the matter involving police officer Brian Pacquette.

“The person who is involved in that matter has been committed to stand trial. The matter has gone through the committal hearing stage and the matter is now before the High Court,” Mitchell said.

Pacquette, 34, was shot in the leg while responding to a larceny report on June 23, 2016. He was subsequently flown to Trinidad and Tobago for treatment, where the leg was amputated. He, however, died on July 18, 2016 and his mother, Yvonne Harris, had taken to social media demanding justice for her son.

In 2018, the police here issued a wanted bulletin for Warner on a manslaughter charge in connection with the death of Pacquette, but he fled the island for the United States.

On November 29, 2023, Warner was deported to St Kits-Nevis, where he was immediately taken into police custody.