J. Communication Mo. 283/1988, Aston Little v. Jamaica (views adopted on 1 November 1991, at the forty-third session) Submitted bv: Aston Little (represented by counsel) Alleged victimt The author State partvi Jamaica Date of communication: 19 January 1988 (initial submission) Date of decision on admissibilitvi 24 July 1989 The Human Rights Committee., established under article 28 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Meeting on 1 November 1991/ Having considered, communication Ho. 283/1988, submitted to the Committee by Aston Little under the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Having,, taken into account all written information made available to it by the author of the communication and by the State party, Adopts the following views under article 5, paragraph 4, of the Optional Protocol. Facts as presented by the author 1. The author of the communication is Aston Little, a Jamaican citizen born on 6 February 1952 at Maroon Town, Jamaica, and currently awaiting execution at St. Catherine District Prison, Jamaica. He claims to be the victim of a violation by Jamaica of articles 6, 7, 10 and 14, paragraphs 1, 2, 3 (b), (d), (e) and 5, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. He is represented by counsel. 2.1 The author was arrested on 12 January 1982 on suspicion on having murdered, on 9 January 1982, one Oswald Dawes. After his apprehension, the arresting officer allegedly hit him with his gun. The prosecution contended that the author had made a statement to the arresting officer, one Detective Corporal C , to the effect that he was not the only one involved, and that one O.B. and her daughter, L.D., also knew about the crime. The author denied ever having made such a statement. Subsequently, the investigating officer suggested to him that he should plead guilty to the charge of murder; when the author professed his innocence, the officer threatened to use O.B., who had been charged along with the author, as the prosecution's principal witness against him. 2.2 The author was detained until 16 February 1982, when he was released on bail; on 31 March 1983 he was again remanded in custody. On 24 April 1984 he was charged with the murder of Mr. Dawes; he went on trial in the Circuit Court of Spanish Town between 23 and 25 July 1984. Upon conclusion of the trial, the jury at first did not return a unanimous verdict; having been told -268-