JFJ Press Release: JFJ Mourns the Passing of Millicent Forbes
- Jun 21, 2010 -
JFJ Mourns the Passing of Millicent Forbes
Monday, June 21, 2010, Kingston, Jamaica – It is with great shock and sadness that we learn of the death of Millicent Forbes who passed away yesterday at the University Hospital of the West Indies. We at Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) extend our heartfelt condolences, prayers, thoughts and sympathies to her children Ann-Marie, Andre, Alicia, Sheronan, Latoya and Georgia, and the family and friends that she has left behind.
Millicent Forbes was a true Jamaican hero, a picture of perseverance, courage, faith and integrity. Having lost her daughter, Janice Allen, to a policeman’s bullet in April 2000, ‘Miss Milli’ as she was affectionately called, has steadfastly pursued justice for her daughter’s death. She withstood threats, harassment, attempted bribery and repeated disappointments with unfavourable court decisions but she refused to give up.
When she appealed the Court of Appeal’s decision refusing leave for judicial review to the Privy Council (PC), she got a ruling that was ground breaking and precedent setting, not only for Jamaica but for all common law jurisdictions. The Privy Council ruling in Millicent Forbes v. the Attorney General (Appeal No. 81 of 2007; del. 19th March, 2009) will be cited in legal circles for years to come. ‘Miss Milli’ greeted that ruling with the same equanimity and good humoured determination that was her trademark.
When the DPP refused to recharge Constable Rohan Allen, citing reasons of “autrefois acquit” (double jeopardy) and “no factual evidence” ‘Miss Milli’, with the aid of JFJ, challenged the DPP in a letter to answer certain questions about the ruling. When the DPP failed to answer her questions, she decided to seek judicial review of the DPP’s decision despite knowing that this was a “highly exceptional remedy”.
‘Miss Milli’ always said that she would go the distance to see justice done for her daughter and was resolute in her fight. Her resolve and determination is her legacy to us and she has shown us that successes do not result from a single effort but rather through constancy and courage.
She was a victim of the horror of her daughter’s death and the subsequent horrors meted out to her by the judicial system in the course of her search for justice. However, we will remember ‘Miss Milli’ as victorious because she forced all Jamaica to acknowledge the wrong done to Janice and her family, forced everyone to see her beautiful daughter and know her name, and got a ruling from the Privy Council that will forever resound in common law jurisdictions.
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