Lawyer and government senator Carlos James says he plans to sue the government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines over what he describes as two of the “worst cases of abuse of power” by police officers in recent years.
At a press briefing in Kingstown on Wednesday, James announced that his law firm has issued statutory notices under the Crown Proceedings Act on behalf of Kenton Harris, a mentally ill man from Lodge Village.
A similar notice was filed in relation to Louis Mercury, of Redemption Sharpes, who James said police shot multiple times at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) on March 29.
James said the state must now answer “in both civil and, potentially, criminal courts” for what he characterised as unprovoked, disproportionate and brutal treatment of two vulnerable citizens while under the control or direct action of the Royal St. Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.
Mentally ill man at centre of viral police-beating video
James said Harris is “a highly vulnerable person” suffering from chronic psychiatric illness and is legally incapable of managing his own affairs.
Harris’ case came to national attention after a 21 May 2026 incident captured on video near Coreas on Hillsboro Road in Kingstown, in which officers were seen physically attacking and beating the handcuffed man.
The video went viral on social media and was widely reported on by local media houses.
James stressed, however, that the abuse did not begin with the viral video.
He outlined three separate incidents allegedly involving officers of the SVGPF.
The lawyer said Harris was physically attacked by an officer or officers at the Central Police Station in Kingstown on March 11.
The lawyer said Harris sustained a fractured left arm and had to receive medical treatment.
“Several months have passed since that March 11th incident, and I believe it has not been formally investigated,” the lawyer said.
He said an investigation has been launched into the May 21 incident.
“An entire month has passed, and we are yet to hear officially from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions or the investigating officers… as to whether or not formal charges are likely to be laid against these officers.”
James said Harris was abused in the holding cell and while being transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.
Following the third assault, Harris’ physical and mental state “degenerated catastrophically”, forcing his transfer first to the Mental Health Rehabilitation Centre at Glen, then to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital for emergency orthopaedic treatment.
Legal action: Assault, negligence, misfeasance and constitutional breaches
James read in full a formal notice of intended civil proceedings addressed to the Attorney General, filed on behalf of Harris through his litigation friend and mother, Anesta Harris-Robinson.
The intended claim alleges that state agents committed assault and battery, negligence, misfeasance in public office — “deliberate, oppressive and malicious abuse of state powers by officers inflicting punitive harm and targeting a mentally challenged individual”, and breach of constitutional rights — specifically the right to protection from inhumane and degrading treatment.
James said he will be seeking aggravated and exemplary damages for what the letter describes as “highly oppressive, high‑handed and arbitrary” conduct.
James said Harris will seek damages for pain and suffering, loss of amenities, loss of earnings and earning capacity, medical expenses, future treatment and rehabilitation, interest and costs.
He also signalled that his team is “exploring the option” of filing a separate constitutional motion, saying the Harris case could become a test case for reforming how police treat mentally ill people.
Demands to the state: Preserve logs, footage and medical records
The notice demands that the Attorney General’s Chambers preserve and produce, within 14 days, a wide range of records related to the 11 March and 21 May 2026 incidents.
The include holding cell logs and occurrence book entries for Kingstown Central Police Station; station custody records and prison rosters for the dates in question, including two days before and after; statements from five named officers and any duty officers assigned to the holding cells; surveillance footage, if any, from the booking area, holding cells, corridors, thoroughfares and exterior of the Central Police Station; and complete medical case notes, admission logs and diagnostic images from both the MHRC and MCMH concerning Harris.
Harris’ mother spoke briefly at the press conference.
“I would like to see justice for my son, because what the police and them do to him, they didn’t have the right to do it. They’re very wrong, and I would like to see justice for him.”
James repeatedly emphasised that Harris is well known to the police as a mentally ill man, and that this increased, rather than reduced, their duty of care.
“For the very reason that he’s known, it gives even a greater level of responsibility on the officers… His mental condition warrants that, and that duty of care, in my opinion, was broken.”
Case 2: Man shot 7–8 times at hospital, left unable to walk
James then turned to what he called an “even more shocking” case, Mercury.
He said Mercury went to MCMH around 8 p.m. on March 29 for injuries he had sustained earlier in the Vermont area.
James said his client ended up in a ward corridor rather than the Accident and Emergency Department.
A hospital security officer requested that he leave the area.
The lawyer said that when James insisted he was there for treatment and would not leave until he received it, the security officer summoned a uniformed police officer from the Special Services Unit (SSU).
The officer cranked his firearm, and, in the confrontation that followed, fired seven to eight rounds at close range, all of which struck Mercury in various parts of his body.
“Our client posed no threat to life and did not resist the officer,” James’ letter to the Attorney General states.
Mercury was shot in both arms and his right leg, underwent emergency life‑saving orthopaedic surgery, and remained hospitalised for five weeks until his discharge on May 5.
James told reporters that Mercury ??? who appeared at the press conference in a wheelchair, now cannot walk.
He said his client’s right arm was rendered almost immobile and he still has a bullet lodged in his right leg.
Mercury faces further corrective surgeries, including procedures that require significant blood transfusions, James said.
“As we speak, Mr. Mercury is unable to walk, he’s unable to use his right hand and is unable to fend for himself,” James said.
Mercury said he felt that his rights had been stripped.
“I want justice for what happen to me dey. I’m feeling like my rights being affected like I do’t have none, no rights,” he said.
He appealed to the public to donate blood at the hospital’s blood bank in his name to help facilitate his surgery:
Second notice: Unlawful, reckless use of lethal force alleged
James read a second statutory notice of intended civil proceedings, this time addressed to the Attorney General and copied to the Commissioner of Police.
It named Mercury as the intended claimant, with the Attorney General and an unknown officer of the SSU in the SVG as the intended defendants.
The claim alleges unlawful, disproportionate and highly reckless use of lethal force by a serving SSU officer in the course of his duties; assault and battery; negligence; misfeasance in public office and statutory liability of the state for the acts of its servants and agents.
Mercury will seek damages for pain and suffering, disability, past and future loss of earnings, special damages for medical expenses, aggravated and exemplary damages, interest and costs, the letter states.
“What will possess a right‑thinking, trained, experienced police officer at close range to use a service firearm to unleash not just one or even two shots to a member of the public, but at least seven to eight bullets across the body of a citizen…?” James said.
“This is not someone escaping and running into the hills and you’re firing at the person and you’re hoping one or two of the bullets hit. You’re standing in front of the individual and you have unleashed seven to eight rounds of ammunition, paralysing this person.”
He argued that the proportionality and necessity of the force used must be scrutinised.
“We are to ask the question whether or not this is, in fact, lethal force, excessive force, far removed from any of the training that any officer would receive… and whether or not that is proportionate in the circumstances.”
Complaint allegedly blocked at police complaints department
James said Mercury’s relatives first informed a senior ranking police officer about the shooting, then, on his advice, went to the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department to lodge a formal complaint.
The lawyer said the relative reported that an officer there told them a statement could not be taken because the matter had already been reported to a senior officer.
“Here it is that someone is going to lodge a formal complaint… and is being advised that a statement cannot be taken,” James said.
“I find it very strange… Those are my instructions on behalf of the family… and hence the reason why, when I inquired, nobody seems to be aware of a man being shot seven to eight times by the police.”