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Prisoner died of clot from burns, fracture

By Heppilena Ferguson

A post-mortem examination has revealed that the prisoner who was allegedly beaten at the Camp Street jail last week died as a result of a blood clot in the lungs due to burns about the back and a fractured left arm.

On Friday, around 11 pm, prisoner Edwin Niles succumbed to his injuries. The autopsy results are likely to stoke calls for a probe into allegations that Niles was severely beaten by prison officers after he was found with ammunition.

In a statement yesterday, police said that the man also suffered a fractured left arm. Even as investigations into the beating have been launched Niles’s reputed wife Sharon Nedd is doubtful that anything would come of it “…because this is Guyana and this country don’t have no justice,” the distraught woman said.

Meanwhile, Niles’s mother Barbara Niles told Stabroek News yesterday that she witnessed the post-mortem examination and saw numerous obvious scalding marks on her son’s body. “He was cooked, especially from his neck going down to his back. The neck skin was cooked,” she emphasized.

Hospital sources had said that although the man appeared to be recovering his body bore serious lacerations and several “black and blue” marks which signalled that he may have sustained massive internal injuries. He also had a broken arm as well as burns on his back. The source said the man was able to walk to and from his bed and the washroom, but his injuries may have caused much internal bleeding.

Niles’s mother said the police have now handed over the body and relatives have since arranged for it to be kept at the Sandy’s Funeral Home. Funeral arrangements will me made shortly.

Nedd, who is the mother of Niles’ only child, a five year old girl said when he was admitted to hospital she had not been allowed to see him. As the woman tried to compose herself, she said repeatedly, “he already dead and nothing can bring him back.” She told this newspaper that she was shocked when her mother-in-law told her that the man had died. She also said relatives had not been told of the man’s passing until about 2 pm on Saturday.

The woman said she had spoken to her husband the day before the alleged beating occurred. She said as usual he would check on her to ensure that all was well. Nedd said the next thing she heard was that he had been admitted to hospital and on arrival there she had not been allowed to see him. “They basically treated us like pigs when we went there. We were not allowed to see him and when they really get back to his mother is to tell her that he dead,” she said. When this newspaper asked Nedd what she’d like to see done to clear up the matter, she said she didn’t expect the matter to be resolved and she didn’t expect justice to be served.

The woman did not want to comment about what may have led to Niles’s alleged beating at the hands of prison officers. She recounted that her husband changed jobs often but always ensured that everything was well for his family. Nedd said when she met Niles when he was a contractor and then he became a conductor. She said too that he worked at the maintenance shop at the Ministry of Public Works. Nedd recalled that when Niles was nabbed and later charged with possession of marijuana. “But it’s not like he was a criminal, he tried,” she insisted.

Asked about investigations at the level of the prisons in the wake of allegations that the man was beaten by prisons officers, Director of Prisons Dale Erskine said since the matter was engaging the attention of the police, “it would not be prudent” to comment.

Niles was a patient for nine days at the Georgetown hospital. According to a press release from the prison, during a routine search he had been found with seven .22 rounds of live ammunition following a day of labour at army base Camp Ayanganna. He reportedly returned to the prisons with a strange pair of pants which he had told prison officers was given to him at the army base and was reportedly beaten after the ammunition was discovered in the pants pocket.

A board of inquiry has since been established at the army base but it is not clear whether it had completed its investigations. However, a number of army ranks were questioned as part of the inquest. Erskine had told this newspaper on Saturday, following the issuing of a statement announcing the man’s death, that Niles had been injured during an altercation with prison officers.

Quizzed about the nature of reports on Niles while he was a patient at the hospital, Erskine had said the feedback he had received was that the man’s injuries were not life threatening. He said too the prison administration has since been in contact with the man’s relatives.
Niles was to be released from prison in September this year.

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35 Responses to “Prisoner died of clot from burns, fracture”

darcman
on July 17th, 2008 6:32 am

here we goes again, where our citizen are being killed by our security forces in unjust manner. Being imprisoned is the course of the law of punishment. Now some security forces are taking it upon their selves to handle people in their own way. Only if the investigation can prove all of us wrong and come out sucessfully.

[Reply to this]
colt45
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 1:05 pm:
Guess who he will use the ammo against. Sow the wind and you reap the whirlwind

[Reply to this]
GOPIE
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 1:08 pm:
DO THEY HAVE THESE SORT OF THINGS IN TRINIDAD?…..YES THEY DO…I LIVED THERE FOR YEARS…….WHAT ABOUT WHEN OUR OFFICERS ARE BEING KILLED BY CIVILIANS….I AM SURE WHEN HE WAS FOUND WITH THE AMMUNITION, IF HE HAD THE CHANCE HE WOULD HAVE USED THEM ON THE OFFICERS, THEN YOU WOULD HAVE HAD TO SAY THAT THE OFFICERS ARE NOT PROPERLY TRAINED………..HOW CAN ANY ONE SATISFY PEOPLE LIKE YOU?

[Reply to this]
Guy99
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 5:36 pm:
Police officers are employed to protect citizens, not be judge, jury, and executioner.

june
In reply to the above comment on July 18th, 2008 9:19 am:
yeah i agree with u Gopie

darcman
In reply to the above comment on July 19th, 2008 7:55 am:
Gopie were there really any ammo? Not like Im saying they wasnt. but even if they were they are a process to follow, only if you would agree. these prision officer killed this man such brutal manner because he had ammo? alread inprisoned and subdued that form of force is too excessive, only if you would agree. Had it been yur family member Im sure your comments would of been more carefully …..
COSMIKE
on July 17th, 2008 7:01 am

Oh My Goodness, Just As I Has Suspected This Young Man Died As A Result Of The Severe Beating That He Endured ! Now The Question Is WHO DID IT, Is It The Prison Officers As Alleged Or The Police, I Hope For The Sake Of This Man’s Family That There Will Be An Honest Investigation That Delivers The Real Truth Of What Transpired On The Day In Question, My Condolences Goes Out To The Family In This Very Trying Time Of Their Lives And May The Victim Rest In Peace!!!!

[Reply to this]
raulcedras
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 9:04 am:
Honesty died in 1992.

[Reply to this]
borntwice
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 11:23 am:
Are you saying that there was honesty before 1992. You must be in a slumber 30 years before 1992.

GOPIE
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 12:58 pm:
what was alive before 1992?……when Burnham was in power, you dare not say such thing or the gun slinger would hunt you down……….ungrateful citizens…that’s what some of you are…..
Chemist
on July 17th, 2008 8:48 am

“INJURED DURING AN ALTERCATION WITH PRISON OFFICERS”, What Mr. Erskine needs to understand is that he is hired by the state as the custodian for these people and he is responsible for the safety and protection of these persons while they are in his custody. I have on numerous occasions seen persons taken to hospital from prison on stretchers, they may be convicts but they are humans, still our fellow man, their families suffer emotions like us. We need to become a Guyana with compassion for each other once more.

[Reply to this]
pepie
on July 17th, 2008 9:12 am

Well the word on the streets is that members of the Armed Forces were called in when the now dead prisoner was found with ammunition in his cell. He was interrogated (tortured), like the two buxtonians who were picked up and after three days bore similar marks of interrogation as well as those army personnel who were questioned about their role in the missing weapons.

If we look at the recent history of the joint forces we can see that this form of interrogation is now main stream and between now and the next election citizens will be force to “build a relationship” with GPF and GDF. I say this because only last friday while hanging out at fish shop on hadfield street, one of my friends related what transpired between him and the police. He was pulled over because he has locs and was search fine fine. When they took his wallet out and notice the content - after not finding any illegal items on him, an Officer walk over to him and asked him to “Build a relationship with the Police”. We all know what that means. So becareful….the new line on the streets is, Build a relationship.

Stabroek News please be careful what type of relationship you build because Rickford Burke is keeping a close eye on you….smile.

Kaiteur News now seems to be in hot water from people high up, according to and article they carried a few days ago, about attacks on the paper. I guess they have not built a good relationship lately. Ooooohhhhhh Guyana

[Reply to this]
colt45
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 1:07 pm:
Why did he have ammo in the prison? What was his intent.? Bullets are made for the purposes of maiming and killing.

[Reply to this]
SUPERERRO
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 5:57 pm:
Ok colt45, you have established his Mens Rea or ‘intent’! Now show without a shadow of a doubt how his intent accounted JUSTLY for his demise! Present your argument, my learnt friend.
dhan
on July 17th, 2008 9:19 am

Testing

[Reply to this]
Steel
on July 17th, 2008 10:23 am

Bending of the will, breaking of the mind, submission, control, when practice by people in authority becomes their personal sin. Imagine what control they seek over their own rebellious family. Perverts.

[Reply to this]
truegt
on July 17th, 2008 11:00 am

mr erskine should resign immediately.officers in this case should be charged with manslaughter.

[Reply to this]
GOPIE
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 1:12 pm:
THAT IS GUYANA, NOT ENGLAND…….WHEN LAST YOU WENT HOME?….TAKE A TRIP TO SEE FOR YOURSELF………

[Reply to this]
SALO
on July 17th, 2008 11:05 am

When will all this madness finish in georgetown.

[Reply to this]
GOPIE
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 1:14 pm:
SOON….VERY SOON A FEW MORE THINGS TO GET STRAIGHTEN OUT…..

[Reply to this]
GT_PRINCESS
on July 17th, 2008 12:41 pm

This is so sad, another life taken by criminals in uniform. Shame on u. My condolences goes out to Mr Niles’ family. Guyana has 700,00 ppl and it is a country with no order. Look at Toronto, 3 mill and it still has order. Damn shame on the Government of Guyana.There was a time when I was proud to be Guyanese but now I can’t say the same.

[Reply to this]
ankoko
on July 17th, 2008 3:18 pm

Here we go again! So many unanswered/wouldnotbeanswered questions. I sympathise with those who lost a son, husband, father or relative.
I do not condone or espouse breaking the country’s laws because laws were meant to create and maintain a civil society. Who do we blame here?
Guyana seems to have the death penalty for nearly all or any offences but it is selectively enforced. This man was found guilty of some minor drug offence. Now he is dead presumably after “an altercation with prison officers.”
He didn’t seem to have been deemed a problem prisoner or a flight risk because he was allowed to go to work sites outside of the prison.
From the beginning it seemed (according to what I read in the SN, KN and other media) that the ammunition was found in his possession along with a pair of trousers when he returned to the prison after working at the GDF compound. There seemed to have been some confusion as to whether he stole the trousers which contained the ammo or he was given it by someone at the GDF premises where he was coming from when it was found on him.
Couldn’t an investigation have been done without “an altercation with prison officers?” Why does an “altercation with prison officers” have to result in such serious injuries as to cause the death of a person?
It is very improbable, totally impossible for a prison inmate to have the whats necessary to burn himself in the back, lacerate his body, break his arm and cause such extensive internal injuries. No way for the injuries to have been self inflicted! Even if he had ‘privelleges’ - they would have been curtailed after the ammo was found in his possession.
In the present climate that exists in our society I doubt that any justice willl be served i.e. the persons responsible be punished according to the very laws they were supposed to enforce.
I don’t remember of any such instance previously. I remember a man named Lashley being hung for killing a policeman back in the late 1950’s or early sixties. I don’t remember any allegations of him being abused or injured In fact it would be interesting if any blogger has any info on something like this happening before and when.
In the meantime I expect to hear from “Minister Rohee and the upper echelons of the Prison Service” (and not the “HW” published here as coming from Mr. Erskine) who were responsible for this man’s safety.
WHAT A THING? “ALTERCATION WITH PRISON OFFICERS” IS THIS HOW A BEAT DOWN IS NOW DESCRIBED IN OUR LANGUAGE???

[Reply to this]
freetorun
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 6:13 pm:
go to rikers island with bullets in your pocket and see what happens.

[Reply to this]
SUPERERRO
In reply to the above comment on July 18th, 2008 7:01 am:
Stabroek News has done a good thing by allowing us to comment on the topic or issue of the day. Now, it said “speak your mind” so tell us freetorun, what happen to prisoners caught with bullets in their pockets (if any) at Rikers or any correction facility in the United States.

I do not want to assume that you are saying to us bloggers and all who visit this site that the same thing or worse happens in America.

I responded to a comment by Gopie & borntwice that was not placed on site and I am curious as to why! I am not trying to dictate here, but at least we should be able to rebut some comments.

neileosb
In reply to the above comment on July 17th, 2008 10:15 pm:
Some one seem to be missing the point here, what would he have done with those live rounds is not he question to be asked, the question should be: “Who were the prison officers that took him out to work that day, where were they, and what were they doing? Were they not supposed to have their eyes on the prisoner all the time”? They are the ones who should be charged for their neglegence. They should know and give account as to how the prisoner got the pants with the live rounds in the pocket. Come on Mr Erskine don’t try to throw sand in the people’s eyes. Your officers should be the ones to be beaten and burnt, why didn’t they see when the prisoner received the items, this is terrible. Shame on the prisoner officers, why take out a prisoner and can’t keep your eyes on him. They should be jailed.

[Reply to this]
darcman
In reply to the above comment on July 19th, 2008 7:59 am:
hey Ankoko that is a great letter of an open minded thanks for that. it was good to read and learn of you inner knowledge.

[Reply to this]
Kufu
on July 17th, 2008 3:53 pm

The bad system continues. This will end when it comes full circle, it always does. I have seen these photographs since I was the person who transferred them from a camera to the flash drive of a relative of the dead man. The pictures were horrible. I can’t believe humans did this to another human - prisoner or not.

[Reply to this]
Ivorine
on July 17th, 2008 4:11 pm

This is for the famous GT princess never CURSE the bridge you crossed you are a Guyanese and nothing cannot change that crimes are been done in all the other countries and the citizens of those countries are still proud of themselves.

[Reply to this]
de canadianCarl Veecock
on July 17th, 2008 8:06 pm

Sometimes I marvel at the expressions of some of our bloggers, but then I say to myself that perhaps they are youngsters who have no serious thinking skills and can barely express themselves.

Now what is Ivorine , my canadian counterpart, saying?
To be proud of your country even though heinous crimes are being committed?
Really…’tis time for some committment!…and you know where!

Prisoners have no escape from brutality by their custodians.

It is always explained as ‘an altercation’ over some nebulous matter that is generally not explained but left in limbo. It is a no win situation for any prisoner.
If the authorities decide to give a prisioner a good thrashing, no one sees or hears it, nor dares say anything about it. A prisoner is a prisoner is a prisoner.
Simply no escape and at the mercy of the merciless. But as is customary, some sort of investigation MIGHT take place, and some sort of REPORT mightl be prepared, and some sort of DELAY will be experienced, and in all eventuality,NOITHING FURTHER WILL BE HEARD.
Shades of Donna Herod ….oopps! I wonder where is that report?

One cannot be proud of any country where officials blatantly abuse their powers especially with brutal force. Only the blind will not see that this indigent prisioner was brutalised and subsequently inhumanely treated even though severely and obviously damaged. Yet the ‘boss’ casually dismisses the matter as if this was a routine exercise.

As is my custom, I PREDICT THAT NOTHING WILL COME OF THIS MATTER.

Remember those famous words?….”just watch me”

[Reply to this]
eyes_in_sky
on July 17th, 2008 8:32 pm

The Bible says Christians are “the salt of the earth” and the “light of the world”. Is there any “salt” in the Prison chaplaincy? Are there any “lights” among those who are close to the government? Even Bartemaeus could have seen that this soul, that Jesus died for, was murdered.

[Reply to this]
Carl
on July 17th, 2008 9:03 pm

The government can offer no acceptable reason for failing to prosecute one or more prison officers for murder or manslaughter over Mr. Niles’ death. It is also clear that no acceptable reason can be offered for not pursuing an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Niles’ death.

Bharrat Jagdeo should show that he truly believes in polygraphs by demanding that pertinent prison officers be subjected to polygraph tests. Yes, he’ll probably manage to convince a few persons that his polygraphing of CANU officers was not politically motivated.

Anyway, it seems that the slippery slope has now been fully embraced by all branches of law enforcement. We know that everyone on that slope will eventually hit the bottom; it’s only a question of when and how violently.

I wish our nation the best of luck.

[Reply to this]
raponzel
on July 17th, 2008 9:50 pm

This man was due to be released soon, he was not a criminal
why would he want to take ammo into the prison in his pocket knowing that he would be checked at the gate like they normally does to all entering the compound, he saw the old pants and thought he could of put it on not knowing it had anything in the pocket. But like anything else only the officers tell the truth no one else.
I do hope the one or ones that did it don’t have children and rat already ate his concience.
My simpathy to the relatives, stay strong especially for his daughter who would grow up not having a father.

[Reply to this]
Deb
on July 17th, 2008 10:17 pm

Why I am not surprise of Mr. Niles death. First of all both the prisoner officers and the police officers should be held responsible for the malicious mishandling of Mr. Niles. How on earth could the police remove a person with visible body injuries (lacerations and burns) from the prison and to the station for question, with out knowing the severity of his injuries, open wounds can become contaminated and will infected.

Simply using common sense and good judgment this situation would have a different outcome, by taking Mr. Niles to the hospital for observation and placing him under guard if he was considered to be a flight risk ensuring that the human being (Mr. Niles) was ok, when that is confirmed you continue with your investigation. What happen to the legal golden rule WHERE ONE IS INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY, remember what goes around comes around.

There should be an external investigation into this vicious crime and changes brought against all the officers involve (the prison administration and the police department) it is disgraceful to read and hear about the vicious crimes committed by the officers who is suppose to serve and protect the citizens of Guyana.

I pray that the prison and police department involved in this crime compensate the family for their loss and have the decency to pay the cost for the funeral…Mr. Niles is dead and gone there is nothing anyone can do to bring him back. Use this incident to make changes with in these agencies. Remember concern human around the world are watching and analyzing the various level of corruption…

My condolence goes out to Mr. Niles family.

[Reply to this]
betsy
on July 17th, 2008 11:25 pm

This is a sad situation, each and everyone of us knows how it feels to lose a family member, whether its by natural or unnatural causes. What ever the reason, the punishment for returning to prison with an extra pants which may have mistakenly have ammunition in the pockets did not call for such a vicious beating.
The beating itself shows the deranged mentality of the people involved. We do not need these types of individuals guarding our fellow citizens. Where has reasoning disappeared to? Could’nt the prisoner be questioned. I am sure the clothes provided by the prison was torn and indisrepair, resulting in him returning with the pants . I am sure the GDF can distinguish who the pants belonged to and follow up. That officer should also be court marshalled for not safeguarding his ammunition.How is he accounting for the missing ammunition?.Overall, this is a murderous act and the persons involved should be charged accordingly.
My sympaties is extended to the family. It will be a long and difficult task for the
family to get any relief from the government, as they are very good at giving a good, long run around for these types of situations. Expect nothing!!!

[Reply to this]
Georgina
on July 18th, 2008 12:16 pm

There’s so more to this story than meets the eye!
Upon reading this article, the following questions spring to mind:
Why would the murdered party have ammunition in his person, when he was going to be released in September? Why would he want to jeopardise his release? As an inmate, how on earth did he get hold of the army trousers?

The prison officers’ Guantanamo Bay-esque behaviour should be, out of public interest and as a human right, be made an example of or otherwise, I fear, there will be plenty more Edwin Niles before the end of the year.

[Reply to this]