Family of Kevin Smith to hire pathologist to observe his autopsy

Attorney-at-law Valerie Neita-Robertson has announced that she will be representing the estate of the late Kevin Smith, head of the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries, in the wake of the controversial pastor's death.

She revealed that Smith's family intends to hire an independent pathologist to observe his autopsy. 

The attorney-at-law also complained about the manner in which the police allegedly infringed on her client's rights and disregarded his legal representation. 

"This morning [Monday], I tried to contact him to speak to him on behalf of his family. I called the investigating officer and he wasn't answering. I called the superintendent in charge of the area and he said he didn't know where he was.

"So that's when I put out the press release, because this is the second time they have taken him and not spoken to us and not informed us, and they have our phone numbers," Neita-Robertson told the media on Monday. 

Neita Robertson, in a statement, said that Smith had the right to a fair trial if he was, in fact, charged in light of “the social media and mainstream media frenzy that was emanating from the church".

The statement was apparently released before Smith died in a car crash in Linstead, St Catherine while being transported from Montego Bay, St James to Kingston, where he was expected to be charged.

Smith and Constable Orlando Irons, who is assigned to the Montego Bay Fugitive Apprehension Team, died in a crash on the Linstead Bypass. Two other policemen travelling with them in an unmarked service vehicle have been hospitalised.

According to Neita-Robertson, her client was interviewed by investigating officers over the weekend. 

"They asked him 40 questions and he did not answer," she told the media. 

In the meantime, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Lewellyn said Smith was being transported to Kingston on Monday because the pastor might not have been able to get a fair trial in the second city.

“The essential criterion for a trial is fairness to all parties. In this case, part of the allegations would be that this was a gentleman of great influence through his church," Lewellyn said.

She added that the "potential jurors to try the case against him would have been drawn from the same community. So, these potential jurors would either have been persons who would have either already been prejudiced against him or for him".