nationbuilder
01-17-07, - 02:42 PM
One Year After Prison Officer’s Death, Mother Still Seeking Answers
By Candia Dames
A year ago today, Olivia Bowles of Orange Creek, Cat Island received news she says she still has not gotten over: her son, Prison Corporal Dion Bowles, was stabbed to death during a violent break from Her Majesty’s Prison.
Following the brutal slaying, a heart-broken Mrs. Bowles demanded that the person or persons responsible for her son’s death be hanged. There has been a highly publicized coroner’s inquest into the killing, but no one was ever charged.
Mrs. Bowles says she’s not satisfied about the way the investigations into her son’s death went.
One year after the events of January 17, 2006, she says justice remains out of reach.
"You don’t think I need justice? I need justice," she says. "I want to see justice. Let them kill those who killed my child. If they don’t do away with those criminals you know what would happen? The criminals would turn around and kill them. They’re going to kill them if they don’t use the power that they have."
Mrs. Bowles says she wants to see the culprits hanged the way former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was hanged.
"Death for death," she insists.
Mrs. Bowles says her son left behind three young boys, and the younger two can hardly remember their father. She says the government is obligated to care for the boys because their father was killed on the job.
"They’re going to take care of them sooner or later," she says. "They’re going to take care of them…I may be old, but I ain’t fool. They’re supposed to take care of them until they reach 18," Mrs. Bowles says.
She says she hasn’t heard anything from prison officials regarding compensation or any pending charges.
"It’s time now for them to say and do what is right because of my child’s death," Mrs. Bowles adds.
She says her memory of Dion will never fail.
"He was calm, loving and helpful, very helpful, helpful to everybody," she says.
Initially after the prison incident, police say they were involved in a larger investigation and their immediate concern was not to charge any of the prisoners with murder, but to look at "the bigger picture" and find out exactly how the four prisoners who had escaped were able to execute their plot and whether they had help from anyone else, including prison officers.
One of the prisoners, Neil Brown, was also killed in the uprising.
By Candia Dames
A year ago today, Olivia Bowles of Orange Creek, Cat Island received news she says she still has not gotten over: her son, Prison Corporal Dion Bowles, was stabbed to death during a violent break from Her Majesty’s Prison.
Following the brutal slaying, a heart-broken Mrs. Bowles demanded that the person or persons responsible for her son’s death be hanged. There has been a highly publicized coroner’s inquest into the killing, but no one was ever charged.
Mrs. Bowles says she’s not satisfied about the way the investigations into her son’s death went.
One year after the events of January 17, 2006, she says justice remains out of reach.
"You don’t think I need justice? I need justice," she says. "I want to see justice. Let them kill those who killed my child. If they don’t do away with those criminals you know what would happen? The criminals would turn around and kill them. They’re going to kill them if they don’t use the power that they have."
Mrs. Bowles says she wants to see the culprits hanged the way former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein was hanged.
"Death for death," she insists.
Mrs. Bowles says her son left behind three young boys, and the younger two can hardly remember their father. She says the government is obligated to care for the boys because their father was killed on the job.
"They’re going to take care of them sooner or later," she says. "They’re going to take care of them…I may be old, but I ain’t fool. They’re supposed to take care of them until they reach 18," Mrs. Bowles says.
She says she hasn’t heard anything from prison officials regarding compensation or any pending charges.
"It’s time now for them to say and do what is right because of my child’s death," Mrs. Bowles adds.
She says her memory of Dion will never fail.
"He was calm, loving and helpful, very helpful, helpful to everybody," she says.
Initially after the prison incident, police say they were involved in a larger investigation and their immediate concern was not to charge any of the prisoners with murder, but to look at "the bigger picture" and find out exactly how the four prisoners who had escaped were able to execute their plot and whether they had help from anyone else, including prison officers.
One of the prisoners, Neil Brown, was also killed in the uprising.