Former senator Mary-Ann Pickard has warned of "civil unrest" in the Virgin Islands if the rape case against her son and another V.I. police officer is allowed to continue.
She released a statement this week saying her son, V.I. Police Officer Ronald Pickard, and fellow Officer Dean Bates, are innocent and charging that the case against them is politically and personally motivated.
She also accused federal investigators of intimidating witnesses into giving false evidence against the pair.
Earlier this week, a federal grand jury handed down a 16-count indictment against the two officers, charging them with first-degree rape and civil rights and firearms violations. The rape allegedly occurred on May 10, 1999.
"Senator Pickard says that the U.S. Attorney's Office is creating an undercurrent of tension that threatens to create civil unrest in the territory," the statement said.
"The people of the Virgin Islands are a peaceful people but history has shown that when they have had enough they react and it is a common cry of the people that if they can't live free in their own homeland then no one will live free," it said. "The U.S. Attorney's Office and the federal agents are making it difficult for the black male Virgin Islander to live free."
Bates and Ronald Pickard have been charged with conspiracy to violate civil rights for actions dating back to December 1996.
The indictment alleges the pair used their positions as police officers to intimidate, physically assault, harass and arrest persons without just cause.
In May, Mary-Ann Pickard, then serving as a special assistant to Gov. Charles Turnbull, picketed outside the St. Croix District Court to protest the arrest of her son, who was released May 29 pending a trial.
"Officer Pickard's family are well established on the island of St. Croix. The family are established business people," the statement said. "Officer Pickard's mother taught school for 29 years, served as vice president of the 20th Legislature and was a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor."
Pickard claims the rape the pair is accused of was actually consensual sex. She has accused the alleged victim of initiating the incident. She has also accused federal investigators of threatening witnesses with jail time if they did not provide evidence against the two men.
She also accused investigators of threatening the father of another police officer in an attempt to get him to encourage his son to provide evidence against Ronald Pickard. She said the investigators threatened to files charges against the son if he did not provide the evidence.
"These and other tactics are being used to intimidate Virgin Islands citizens to cooperate with them in their quest to be successful in prosecuting," the statement said.
