The Nassau Guardian
‘Wanted’ suspect not really wanted
The family of a man police issued a wanted bulletin for is demanding an apology.
Andre Thompson, 20, was among a group of 10 men police issued wanted bulletins for on Sunday night. Police advised the public that they wanted to question him in connection with murder.
Thompson’s attorney, Christina Galanos, said police had already arrested, questioned and released her client in August.
If police wanted to question Thompson in relation with another matter, Galanos said, they did not have to issue a wanted bulletin for him.
“This is of grave concern to me because he is not wanted, as far as what I’m being told,” she said yesterday.
“The police know where he lives. They dropped him home on August 29. So how is someone wanted when you’re not making any effort to find him?
“I think it’s a gross miscarriage of justice.
“They didn’t have to do that. Putting his name and picture in the paper should have been the last resort.”
Thompson’s father, James Thompson Sr., said his son’s reputation was damaged.
Thompson’s photo and name were printed in The Tribune yesterday along with other men identified as “wanted”.
“I had coworkers ask me if this was my son,” he said. “I had family call from the out islands wanting to know what happened. Police would do things like that but they won’t apologize for that. They expect you to go on.”
Galanos said that around 4 a.m. Friday, police searched the family’s Pinewood Gardens home looking for Thompson.
Once the family explained that he had already been arrested, the officers confirmed that his name was still in the system, apologized and left, according to Galanos.
“Now this morning there is a headline in The Tribune listing Mr. Thompson as wanted with his picture,” she said. Thompson said he felt singled out and was embarrassed by the error.
After the interview, Galanos took her client to the Central Detective Unit (CDU) to turn him in.
He was released five minutes later and told that he was free to go.
Thompson said he felt relieved and had no plans to return to CDU.
When contacted for comment, Superintendent Stephen Dean said police are no longer looking for him.
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