Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagne has confirmed that two convicted policemen, one of whom was given a life sentence for murder last November, were granted bail in the Court of Appeal yesterday. This means that the cops will spend Christmas with their families.

Constables Christobel Smith and Garreth Davis were handed prison sentences on January 7 for the 2008 killing of Omar Marshall, a resident of Blake Road, Central Kingston.

Davis, who was found guilty of murder in the Supreme Court, was sentenced to life imprisonment. He must serve a minimum of 15 years before becoming eligible for parole. Smith was found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to six years imprisonment.

Sleek Jamaica Media gathered that in making the arguments before the new President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Patrick Brooks, the policemen’s lawyers argued that the trial judge had failed to properly direct the jury on the issue of self-defence concerning the police officers. 

The men were offered bail in the amount of one million dollars each, with stringent reporting conditions, pending the hearing of the substantive appeal.

Queen’s Counsel Caroline Reid-Cameron represented for Smith while Davis was represented by Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagnie and Kemar Robinson.