St. Maarten Private Eye

SMNN - Gun Totting Detective Arrested - 22nd July 2008

From SMN News

Charged with Life Threatening--- Lover Suspended

Philipsburg: --- Detective Alexander Cassiana has now been arrested after he met with the Federal Detectives in Curacao on Monday. The gun totting officer fired shots at the home of his colleague and lover early Thursday morning after he allegedly found another man at her home in Betty’s Estate. In the same breath officer Lexus Phillips is also suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.

The detective was sent to Curacao on Friday after doctors here concluded he had a medical condition and that he flipped during the ordeal. Cassiana is also in the process of having a divorce and he was suffering depression one source said. Despite using his service revolver to shoot at the home of his colleague and lover the detective was not immediately arrested. Instead he was free to walk the streets of St. Maarten the day of the incident. It was not until Friday afternoon the detective who obviously acted out of rage left St. Maarten for Curacao.

According to a well placed source the police management decided to take away the officer service revolver prior to letting him go free. “Guns can be found at every street corner which the detective could have gotten access to and complete his mission which was to kill his lover as well as himself.” One disgruntled officer said to SMN News. “This man even though he is my colleague and friend should have been arrested immediately then the testing they are talking about can be conducted while in custody” he continued to say that the female officer who is now suspended can use the mistakes of the police force against them.

In a statement to the media Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek confirmed two officers had a confrontation and shots were fired by one of the officers and that the incident was not related to work. Panneflek said due to the lack of proper communication within the police force the officer was not arrested on St. Maarten shortly after the incident occurred. He said the officer was taken to Simpson Bay Police Outpost and thereafter taken to Curacao for a mental evaluation. He said the officer was arrested on Monday by the Federal Detectives who is now handling the investigation. Panneflek said he has taken the necessary measures to avoid any such errors in the future.

In an invited comment Chief Prosecutor Taco Stein confirmed the arrest he said the officer will be charged with life threatening and not attempted murder as presumed by many in the community. He said the officer will go through the psychiatric evaluation during the trial.

SMN News was reliably informed that a civil servant attached to the Police Department was suspended on the orders of the Minister of Justice yesterday. Motives for the suspension were not clear up to press time last night.
In the meantime, the police management has yet another internal investigation where an officer identified as R. J had a dispute with his wife on Saturday in St. Peters The source said the dispute turned into a fist fight and a complaint was lodged with internal affairs. Asked about the incident Chief Commissioner of Police Richard Panneflek said he got some information on the incident and he already asked that an investigation be conducted in the case.

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