Eastern Lawyers Association: Give prosecutors security

THE Eastern Lawyers Association has endorsed the call by the Law Association (LATT) for security to be provided to prosecutors and judicial officers, on request, in the wake of the murder of attorney Randall Hector.

The 43-year-old attorney was gunned down in front of his family as they were leaving the Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Stanmore Avenue, Port of Spain shortly after attending Old Year's Day evening service on December 31.

The association, in a press release on January 2, said it was profoundly shocked at and condemned the "heinous" murder of "our esteemed colleague."

The association described Hector as a distinguished legal professional and respected elder of his church.

"As lead attorney of RW Hector & Associates, he specialised in litigation, providing clients with honest, competent, and zealous representation."

Hector, the association added, enjoyed a distinguished career with the State for over a decade, serving as both a criminal-law and civil-law advocate and remained among a select group of attorneys who served as prosecutors with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. He was also director of the legal department of a state intelligence agency for several years.

The association pointed to Hector's roots in the eastern community which made his loss all the more deeply personal for many of its members.

"The mere suggestion that this act was an execution linked to his professional duties is alarming and evokes memories of the tragic murders of Dana Seetahal in 2014 and Wesley Debideen in 2013," the release said, adding, "Such incidents underscore the vulnerabilities faced by legal practitioners and highlight the pervasive threat of crime in our nation."

The release revealed members of the association were previously targets of crimes including attempted extortion, which it said reminded all that the profession was not immune to the scourge afflicting society.

The association said despite measures such as the declaration of a state of emergency, it was evident that more comprehensive actions were needed.

"We call upon all stakeholders to collaborate in addressing the proliferation of illegal firearms and the prevailing lawlessness," the release said.

The association felt it was imperative to dispel misconceptions that criminal defence lawyers contribute to the problem, when in reality, they often highlight the flawed criminal justice system plagued by ineffective policing, inadequate evidence-gathering, and a lack of accountability in failed prosecutions.

Antiquated laws and penalties for serious criminal offences, it said, remain on the lawbooks even while traffic offences have been continuously updated and now include demerit points.

While legislative advances, such as the Administration of Justice (Indictable Proceedings) Act (AJIPA) eliminating preliminary inquiries have given glimmers of hope to the judicial system, the association felt more could be done on the legislative front.

"The real fear that innocent players in the justice system may fall prey to the criminal element persist despite the fact that statements of deceased witnesses may be used despite their death or that prosecutors, judges and complainants can be replaced during a criminal process does not affect those who wish to make things more difficult to prosecute," the association said.

Issues like the use of contraband mobile phones by prisoners to intimidate or eliminate witnesses continue to undermine the justice process, it said.

Even in this time of mourning the loss of a colleague, the association said the profession must unite not only in grief but also in a commitment to be part of the solution.

"The Eastern Lawyers Association stands ready to engage with all relevant parties to restore confidence and the effectiveness of our justice system and uphold the rule of law in our beloved nation," the release said.