Christopher Serju, Gleaner Writer

FOR WEEKS after the fatal shooting of four persons by a special team under the command of former Senior Superintendent of Police Reneto Adams seven years ago, the rural community of Kraal, Clarendon, dominated conversation. Television, radio and print - wherever one turned - Kraal was in the news. In fact, it was the news.

Forty-five-year-old Angella Richards, 38-year-old Ferris Lewena Thompson, Matthew James and a man known only as 'Renegade' were killed on Tuesday, May 7, 2003, according to police, during a shoot-out with members of the Crime Management Unit (CMU). Two illegal firearms - a Taurus 9mm pistol with six cartridges and a Winchester rifle with 14 rounds - were seized.

After several weeks of investigations in the aftermath of the killings, Adams and five rank-and-file members of the police force were charged with murder. They were, however, acquitted in December 2005.

Almost five years after their acquittal, Kraal is all but forgotten and the only signs of tangible change are the stretch of paved road leading up to, and stopping just short of, the house where the two men and two women were killed and a monument built by residents to honour their memory.

Avil Bernard remembers, with affection, Ferris, who was born and grew up in the area and was mother and sister to everyone in the community.

"We keep this as a remembrance for them, especially Ferris and Angella who lived here. Ferris was born here, so everybody know them. Ferris was a nice lady. The community has lost a most outstanding woman; somebody who you can rely on, somebody weh if you need anything you can run to and ask fi assistance," Bernard said.

Forgotten by all

"We just drop off the map; nobody nuh memba Kraal. Everything just left up to the mercy of God. Only thing we get a di piece a road after the election, so we have to give thanks to Mr Pearnel Charles (member of parliament for North Central Clarendon), but we want road, we want water and nuh employment naw gwaan."

The residents' biggest need is water, as the area is not piped and the nearby river, about a mile away, is the main water source, when there is no rainfall.

"Sometime we boil and sometime we nuh boil, but nobody nuh really sick," Bernard replied nonchalantly when asked about measures taken to ensure the water is fit for drinking.

"Otherwise, the area run all right, cool and quiet. No, we nuh have no crime problem. From long time we nuh have no crime problem, everybody just live as one. Whatsoever we have we share it, is just so the community build."

Meanwhile, Isaac 'Maas Sonny' Johnson, owner of the ill-fated house, now occupies it with his niece/caretaker Marlene Marshall Spencer. He was living in Kingston at the time of the deadly police operation, working as a painter, but returned to the area following a downturn in the economy.

He told The Gleaner that despite promises from then Commissioner of Police Francis Forbes, he is yet to receive financial compensation for the damage done to the building. He said two doors were replaced, but he had to fix the windows, as well as a section of the ceiling, which had been destroyed by the police during a search for firearms.