Convicted ex convict ,now Lawyer defames Bermuda police inspector

Lawyer Charles Richardson has used his Facebook page to claim elements within Bermuda Police Service have "declared war" on him.

The 39-year-old was charged in Magistrates' Court on Friday morning Jan 7,2011,with publishing defamatory material about Detective Inspector Robert Cardwell in a Facebook status update last May.

Det Insp Cardwell was the officer who led an investigation into Mr Richardson in 2009, when 8.2 grams of cannabis and 0.71 grams of cannabis resin were found at his home in Club Road, Smith's.

Mr Richardson pleaded guilty to two counts of drug possession on March 31 and was given a three-year conditional discharge.

The charge included the alleged defamatory material, which read: "This detective inspector really has it in for me.

"Why on earth Robert Cardwell has taken an unhealthy interest in me is astonishing...I really hope it ain't because I'm good at what I do and I'm black...that would make him vindictive and racist...could it be?"

"Are we serious? In the year 2011, a person is not free to question whether he has been treated in a certain manner because he might be racist? Wow..."

.............

Cop considers options over lawyer's posts on Facebook
A Police officer is seeking legal advice on comments posted about him on Facebook by a barrister. Detective Inspector Robert Cardwell told The Royal Gazette he was considering all his options in relation to a message written by Charles Richardson yesterday afternoon.

Det. Insp. Cardwell was the officer who led an investigation into Mr. Richardson last year, when cannabis was found at the defence lawyer's home in Club Road, Hamilton Parish.

Mr. Richardson pleaded guilty to two counts of drug possession on March 31 and was given a three-year conditional discharge by Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo, avoiding a conviction that could have destroyed his legal career.

A total of 8.2 grams of cannabis and 0.71 grams of cannabis resin was found at his property and he admitted knowing it was there but said it belonged to a houseguest.

At about 2.15 p.m. yesterday, Mr. Richardson posted critical comments about Det. Insp. Cardwell on his Facebook page.

The officer told this newspaper last night: "I'm not going to be drawn on his comments. I'm going to consider all my options and I feel that I would have the full support of the senior command of the Bermuda Police Service. I'll deal with this in the proper manner."

Mr. Richardson's remarks, which this newspaper will not repeat for legal reasons, could be read by his 1,320 Facebook friends, including The Royal Gazette.

They prompted responses from several other users, including Progressive Labour Party organiser Makai Dickerson, who echoed Mr. Richardson's sentiments.

The posting was later removed.

Last year, prosecutor Takiyah Burgess was fined $1,000 and admonished by the Bar Council, the governing body for Bermuda's legal profession, after her remarks on Facebook threatened to derail a murder trial.

Asked yesterday if Mr. Richardson could face disciplinary action, Bar Council president Kiernan Bell said: "Without having seen what has been said or posted, it's impossible to say what, if anything, flows from this posting."

She added: "Lawyers are officers of the court and are also bound by the barristers' code of professional conduct. Accordingly, lawyers who post opinion and commentary to social networking sites like Facebook may well be held to a higher standard than members of the public so far as their conduct."

Ms Bell said she was not aware of any professional conduct matter regarding Mr. Richardson pending for the cannabis possession case.

Mr. Richardson told this newspaper he posted the remarks about Det. Insp. Cardwell "because I felt like it".

Asked if he thought the remarks were defamatory, he replied that he was posing a question, not making any assertions of fact. "I sort of read it carefully before I posted it," he added.

Asked if he felt he had been dealt with fairly by Police during the criminal investigation into drug possession, he said: "I really don't have any comment about that."

He posted another message on his Facebook page yesterday evening. It read: "Now The Royal Gazette has another hard on for me... geez! Get a life will you... the Gazette has no credibility anymore."

He asked that the newspaper "please stop stalking my Facebook page for news," adding: "Next, you all will be hiding in de bushes outside my house."

Several Facebook friends suggested that he block the newspaper from seeing his page.