Policeman jailed on manslaughter conviction

Monday, February 16, 2015. AARON HUMES Reporting: Supreme Court Justice Troadio Gonzalez has sentenced Police Constable Alpheus Parham to a total time of 10 years in prison.

Constable Parham was found guilty last week of a charge of manslaughter in the shooting death of Alex Goff, who he shot to death in a detention cell at the Caye Caulker Police Station on May 9, 2010.

Parham will actually serve only 5 years as time served on remand was deducted from his full sentence.

A jury of six men and six women delivered a verdict of not guilty of murder but guilty of manslaughter on Friday after deliberating for four hours.

Two of his fellow police officers testified that they each saw Constable Parham go to the back of the cell and hear an “explosion” shortly afterward.

Both saw Parham come back from the back of the cell and the second officer said he walked out of the station thereafter without speaking to anyone.

Goff was then found with a gunshot wound to the forehead.

He had been accused of accosting persons on the island while reportedly under the influence earlier in the day.

Parham, speaking from the dock during trial, said that on responding to the cell after Goff was reportedly being disorderly, the detainee said he wanted to use the restroom and on their way there, Goff reportedly reached for the officer’s revolver and they struggled, during which the gun accidentally went off and caused Goff a fatal wound.

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