The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been called in to probe a police and civilian altercation on March 28 in downtown St. Thomas that resulted in the officer being placed on administrative leave. Sara Lema, FBI spokeswoman in Puerto Rico, confirmed the role of the agency in the investigation, which she said would focus on alleged federal civil right violations.
Lema declined to comment on the progress or scope of the FBI investigation of the incident. The officer, Loriel "Lala" Charleswell, is accused of assaulting businessman Dave Summers and verbally abusing Summers' fiancee, Maryalyce Boynton, during an encounter on the Waterfront near International Plaza.
Lema also declined to say whether the FBI is conducting a probe of allegations against a St. John police officer accused of choking and slamming a woman several times against a car near the Cruz Bay dock over a parking violation. That incident occurred on March 18.
In the meantime, Attorney General Iver Stridiron is quoted in Wednesday's Virgin Islands Independent newspaper as saying that no formal complaints have been filed against the officer in that case at the Justice Department.
"Any complaint against the police would be impartially investigated by my office," Stridiron said, but only after a formal complaint is filed.
Stridiron is also quoted by the Independent as saying, "I'm loathe to have my investigators or my lawyers get involved in a matter that has not even been formally brought to attention."
