-relatives
Although a Coroner’s Inquest was unable to find who was responsible for the death of Buxtonian Donna Herod, relatives say the government should assist in raising her children since the jury concluded that she died during a police operation.
Donna Herod
The Inquest was held earlier this year following numerous calls for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Herod’s death. Herod was gunned down during what was reported as a firefight between the police and gunmen in Buxton. On the morning of September 4, 2007 Herod had just collected her children from a nearby school after learning about a joint services operation in the village, when she was struck by a bullet.
In July, the Coroner’s Inquest wrapped up before Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus at the Vigilance Magistrates’ Court. The court heard evidence from police officers and Herod’s sister, Sherron Herod, among others, and a visit was also organized to the spot where Herod was killed. But the jury later concluded that insufficient evidence was presented to determine who killed Donna Herod. The only thing the jury was certain of was that Herod was killed while the police were executing an operation in the East Coast village.
“…We don’t know who killed Donna Herod, only God knows who did it, and we have accepted the outcome of the inquest. The family has no desire to have a long drawn out story over who did and we certainly do not want a fight either. What we consider as important at this time is what happens to her children,” Herod’s sister Yvette Herod told Stabroek News recently when contacted.
The family, according to Yvette, took the decision to accept what the jurors at the Inquest found because they would rather take comfort in something as opposed to nothing. That something is the fact that Herod died while the police were on an operation in the village. To fight and press on could mean “dragging this story on for years,” Yvette said, then she questioned to what end. She said the children are coping, as is the family, but that the death of their mother and her sister under such circumstances still cuts deep.
The way forward is to move on, Yvette said, and she pointed out that the focus now is on raising Herod’s younger children. Herod was a mother of nine and the majority of her children were minors at the time of her death. Currently only five of them are under the direct care of relatives; Yvette is taking care of several of them. The family is receiving public assistance for some of the children, but Yvette noted that it has to be heavily supplemented by relatives.
Yvette said the family is appreciative of the assistance from the Human Services Ministry, but she feels the government could make a more real contribution to the lives of Donna Herod’s children. She said the children are growing with needs and that they are slowly adjusting to a life without their breadwinner. She said the younger ones are doing well in school and that they are also involved in several extra co-curricular activities such as scouts.
“It is left up to the conscience of those responsible for Donna’s death to pay some consideration to the children and as to whether they feel the need to have some input in their lives…this family is not going to fight anyone for anything,” Yvette added.
She said also that the family was dealt another blow earlier this year when Sherron Herod died. Yvette recalled that Sherron was close to Donna and had taken the time to go and testify during the inquest in an effort to bring some closure to the family. Sherron was also caring for one of Donna’s children when she passed away.
In the wake of Donna Herod’s death in September 2007, several calls were made for an inquest to be held, and the PNCR took a special interest in the case. Chairman of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), former Chancellor of the Judiciary, Cecil Kennard had handed over a report into the killing of Herod to the Director of Public Prosecutions recommending that a Coroner’s Inquest be speedily held into the matter, but there was no movement on this until earlier this year.
Stabroek News also contacted Vice-Chairman of the PNCR and attorney-at-law Basil Williams who said he was one of two lawyers looking into the case. He said the party was angered at the fact that the inquest commenced without any proper notice, but pointed out that he was unable to spend much time at court. Williams said that he was present on a few occasions.
Attorney-at-law Llewellyn John, when contacted, said the conclusion was not rational since the police were reckless on the day in question. He said Donna Herod was going about her business when she was killed due to the reckless actions of some persons on the operation. According to John, reckless behaviour is a criminal offence.
He also recalled the shooting of Yohance Douglas, who was killed when police opened fire on the vehicle he was travelling in, saying “the police have to exercise greater caution on these operations because they cannot always say who is a criminal and who is not.”
There was another woman who was killed at the corner of Robb and Camp street just after the elections in 1997 ….Can’t remember her name right now but her children should also received the government’s help since it is alleged that a PPPeeee activists fired the shot!!!
yea I remember her too…
Life!
It would be nice to live without getting in the path of Politicians and Police.
How can this woman be killed during a police operation and the police don’t know who shot her ? They know but they are not saying because the residents of Buxton were considered the enemies of the state , during that period . The ppp administration have failed the people of Guyana .
It was after the 2001 elections, on April 9, SHF. Her name was Donna McKinnon. See the links here:
http://www.landofsixpeoples.com/gymckinnon.htm
Another shameful episode of the PPP tyrannical regime.
Some lives are more equal than others and sadly this has been the case in Guyana since the first forced arrivals. The brutality continues the results are the same although the diabolical enforcers are different.
This poor woman was killed by shots fired,during a Police operation,and her children should be compensated.It is the responsibility of the State to provide the necessary compensation to the victims.
The GY government is anti-family with no sense of compassion when it comes to the welfare of children.
LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT, NO ONE KNOWS WHO KILLED THIS WOMAN — WHAT ABOUT BULISTICS TESTS BEING CONDUCTED ON THE BULLET THAT KILLED HER? A HAND HAD TO HAVE PLACED IT INTO THE GUN, THAT MEANS EVEN A SINGLE THUMB PRINT IS GOING TO BE FOUND ON IT, OR AREN’T SUCH THINGS DONE IN GUYANA? ALSO LOOK AT THE TRAJECTORY — MEANING THE ANGLE AT WHICH THE BULLET WAS LODGED AND WHERE THE POOR WOMAN’S BODY FELL. COME ON FOR GOD’S SAKE, ONLY IN BACKWARD GUYANA WOULD A JURY MAKE SUCH A CONCLUSION LIKE THIS IN THE 21ST CENTURY. THIS IS NOT BRAIN SURGERY, JUST PLAIN OLD COMMON SENSE AND IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING THAT THE BULLET WAS NOT MEANT FOR HER, WHICH MAKES IT AN ACCIDENTAL KILLING. HAD THE POLICE NOT BEEN IN THE MIDDLE OF A SHOOT OUT (AL BE IT WITH CRIMINALS) THIS WOMAN WOULD BE ALIVE AND STILL TAKING HER CHILDREN TO SCHOOL. NOW TO THE GUYANA GOVERNMENT, WHOEVER IS RUNNING THIS DAMNED COUNTRY,(BECAUSE THE SOCIAL SERVICES COMES UNDER YOUR GOVERNMENT) SURELY YOU MUST KNOW THAT THESE CHILDREN DON’T ONLY NEED COUNSELING TO DEAL WITH THE SUDDEN LOSS (REMEMBER THEIR MOTHER DID NOT DIE, SHE WAS KILLED), THEY ALSO NEED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AND THEIR WELFARE TAKEN CARE OF. YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT AFTER TWO YEARS, THIS STILL HAS NOT BEEN SETTLED? ITS TIMES LIKE THIS I AM ASHAMED TO BE A GUYANESE. MR PRESIDENT, DON’T YOU SEE THE STATE THAT THIS COWBOY COUNTRY IS IN AND RECOGNIZE THE NEED FOR THE NECESSARY FUNDS TO BE ABLE IN ORDER TO SUPPORT THESE CHILDREN WHO CONTINUE TO LOOSE THEIR MOTHERS, DAY AFTER DAY IN THIS PLACE WHICH HAS BECOME A KILLING GROUND? GUYANA GETS MORE FOREIGN AID (MORE THAN 100 MILLION US DOLLARS EACH YEAR)THAN ANY COUNTRY IN THE CARIBBEAN — CHECK THE FACTS AND YOU WILL SEE; NOW SURELY YOU CAN USE A FRACTION OF IT TO SET ASIDE FUNDS FOR THINGS LIKE THIS? BECAUE IT WOULD BE NAIEVE NOT TO PRETEND YOU DON’T SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING AROUND YOU. AND MAY I ASK GIVING THESE UNFORTUNATE A “SUBSIDY” IS WHAT EXACTLY? THEY NEED FULL TIME SUPPORT — MEANING ALL THEIR NEEDS SHOULD BE MET INCLUDING THEIR SCHOOL FEES, AND WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY ARE READY TO ATTEND CLASSES AT UG? ARE YOU GOING TO TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR THEIR EDUCATION? THIS REALLY BURNS ME UP AND THE TAXPAYERS IN GUYANA SHOULD BE MAD AS HELL ABOUT THIS TOO, SINCE THIS WAS A WORKING WOMAN WHO MADE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE GUYANA ECONOMY. AND WHERE IS THE FATHER FOR THESE CHILDREN? — GET UP AND LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD, IF NOT FOR YOURSELF, THEN FOR THOSE INNOCENT CHILDREN WHO GOD KNOWS DESERVE BETTER THAN THIS. MAY GOD HAVE MERCY ON THEM BECAUSE I KNOW THEY DID NOT ASK FOR THIS. PEOPLE SAY THAT YOU DIE WHEN YOUR TIME COMES AND GOD IS READY FOR YOU, DID GOD INTEND FOR THIS WOMAN TO BE KILLED LIKE THIS AND LEAVE HER CHILDREN TO SUFFER? HER SISTERS NO DOUBT HAVE CHILDREN OF THEIR OWN TO WORRY ABOUT, NOW THIS ADDED RESPONSIBLITY ONLY SOLIDIFIES THEIR PROBLEMS WHICH FROM WHERE I SIT, ARE NOT GOING TO EVER GO AWAY AND THAT IS A DAMNED SHAME. TO GROW UP KNOWING THAT YOUR MOTHER WAS KILLED IS BAD ENOUGH, BUT TO KNOW THAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES NOT CARE ENOUGH TO HELP YOU, BY GOD THAT ONLY COMPOUNDS THE ANGER AND FRUSTRATION.
seriously..this is really hard on the eyes.
DUBAICITI….WHAT THE FREEKING HELL IS WRONG WITH YOUR CAP-LOCK?
I am not reading one thing you write, love my eyes too much.
Another sad situation. I think we should follow this story and assist this family, the dictators only care about themselves.
The woman was shot by the police, how come they didn’t have their experts to tell which gun it was fired from, in the past they were able to tell which gun that fired the bullet, but i guess it’s only used for their own convenience.
Amen,most times they can determine what gun was used when they have recovered the warhead.
ask borapoke and tiger and dem canadians how govt does mine dem baby ovea deh….all dem is govt children…called baby factory…
mo baby dem meck…mo dough dem get….jagdeo shud send dem baby to canada…coz dem is govt children now…..
Are you serious?
EE, did you have a bad night at the tracks.
An inquest should be automatic, not forced by calls.
1ST COMMENT SOMETHING IS DEFINATELY WRONG WITH OUR JUDICAL SYSTEM.2ND HOW UNFAIR IS THE ACT ON THIS LAD WOULD THEY LIKE SOME ONE TO DO THAT TO THEM OR THEY FAMILY .THIS NONSENSE HAS GOT TO STOP OR SOON THEY WILL ONLY HAVE THEM SELF TO FIGHT WITH OOPS IF ITS NOT HAPPENING ALREADY3.WHATS UP HENRY.
Why do people scream when they type. Writing (typing) in ‘cap” is called shouting. It is also a distractor and makes it hard on the eyes to read.