Family of man killed by police: Cop asking for forgiveness

The mother of Larie Simon, the businessman who was shot dead by police in Palo Seco on Thursday night, is claiming the family was contacted by one of the officers involved, who is begging for their forgiveness.

Simon, 30, was shot and killed by police who went to his businessplace as part of an enquiry into stolen goods.

The police report said Simon charged at the officers with a cutlass, prompting them to shoot him.

Speaking with Newsday at the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday, Simon's mother, Lana Joseph, questioned the circumstances surrounding her son's death and insists he would not have attacked the police.

She also said an officer involved in the shooting contacted her mother, Simon's grandmother, and asked for the family's forgiveness.

In March, Simon's older brother Darie Simon was one of two people shot dead at a fruit stall in Maracas, St Joseph.

His mother said she was still trying to forgive the killers of her elder son and could not bring herself to forgive the killers of her other son.

The officer, she said, "has to really ask God for forgiveness.

"I'm trying to forgive the first set of people who killed my son. I'm not saying I'm a saint, so I will try my best to forgive everyone.

"But I need justice. Forgiveness and justice are two different things."

Joseph said her son moved to Palo Seco earlier this year and started a business selling electronics, mattresses and furniture. She said he had been moving back and forth between the family's St Joseph home and his businessplace for a few months, and had not been in trouble with the police.

Joseph said when she was only told he had been involved in a police shooting and not that he was killed.

"They called me and said, 'Police shot Larie,' so I rush down to the Siparia health facility, where they told me he was alive – just to see him in a body bag.

"That almost killed me. I don't know how I didn't drop down there."

Newsday also spoke to Joseph's older sister Cherie Simon.

"This is the worst year I've ever experienced. I'm still trying to come to terms with Darie's murder and now this came and happens. It's like you don't even feel like waking up on a morning anymore."

Simon's autopsy report said he died from a single gunshot wound to the head.

Speaking with Newsday Police Commissioner Gary Griffith said he would not engage in a "he say, she say" over allegations of misconduct.

"It would be foolhardy of me to give a statement based on a third party. Let us deal with facts and evidence.

He added, "If they have evidence or information of the police doing something that is irregular and out of the authority of the police service, they should submit the report to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) or the Commissioner of Police, but they run to the camera (media), make wild accusations, but when it's time to thoroughly investigate, nothing is done."

Griffith also said while he did not know what was discussed during the conversation between the police officer and the relative, an expression of condolences is not the same as an expression of guilt.