by Cherrian Blackman

Three of the now infamous "Grenada 17" incarcerated for their roles in the 1983 murder of former leftist Prime Minister Maurice Bishop and others returned to society as free men last week Saturday.

With smiles on their faces, the three former soldiers, Andy Mitchell, Vincent Joseph and Cosmos Richardson walked out of the Richmond Hill prison which had become their homes for the past 23 years.

Mitchell, Joseph and Richardson were greeted by a small party of family members and friends outside the prison gate. However, the ex-soldIers refused to comment to waiting reporters gathered on the outside of the prison.

The three were each found guilty on 11 counts of manslaughter and sentenced to 30 years in prison by high court judge, Sir Denis Byron at the end of their trial in 1986.

Mitchell, Joseph and Richardson were members of the firing squad led by imprisoned inmate, Calistus Bernard (Iman Abdullah) that assassinated Bishop after a crowd of supporters freed him from house arrest on October 19, 1983.

Bishop, along with ex-government ministers Unison Whiteman (Foreign Affairs), Jacqueline Creft (Education), Norris Bain (Housing), trade unionist Fitzroy Bain, and businessmen Evelyn "Brat" Bullen, and Evelyn Maitland were captured on Fort George (Rupert) and executed while lined up against a wall.

The killings culminated in a bitter power struggle between moderates and hardliners for control of the marxist-oriented New Jewel Movement-led People's Revolutionary Government (PRG) that came to power in 1979 following a coup d'etat against the elected Eric Gairy government.

Bishop's deputy Bernard Coard, his wife Phyllis, ex-army chiefs Hudson Austin, Ewart Layne and Liam James were among 17 former government and military officials convicted for the bloody murders.

The Bishop killers were apprehended following the U.S-led military intervention of October 25, 1983 to topple the coup leaders and help restore law and order on the small East Caribbean island. Prior to the release of the prisoners, the Ministry of National Security issued a statement pointing out that "these men (Joseph, Richardson and Mitchell) have now served their time" and were being released from custody.

It said: "Under the law governing sentencing regulations, inmates' sentences are reduced by one third if they have been deemed as being industrious and well behaved. "These inmates have qualified for the reduction in their sentences and will be released after serving twenty years of their time.

"The Ministry of National Security would like to make it clear that the planned release of these men is not based on any court action but is instead as a direct result of the sentences being completed". The statement added, it is Government's hope that Joseph, Mitchell and Richardson will rejoin society as productive members of the community and live a peaceful life having learned from their experiences.

Minutes before the ex-soldiers emerged from the prison, one of their lawyers Keith Scotland of Trinidad and Tobago spoke briefly with reporters and termed the release of his clients as "an historic moment" in their lives. "It's a very long road which came with regrets but we need to move on," Scotland said.

The lawyer indicated that the three ex-soldiers had expressed their relief and happiness on being released from prison and their deep sorrow over the tragic events of October 1983. He said that they wished to express their thanks to family, friends and well wishers in and out of Grenada, who have supported them in many different ways over the years.

"They desire to put the terrible and traumatic past behind them and to re unite with their families and loved ones and to re-build their lives in a peaceful, disciplined and productive manner," he added. Editor of the Grenadian Voice newspaper, Leslie Pierre, who has campaigned over the years for the freedom of the Coard Gang said that, "at last government has come to its senses."

The ruling New National Party (NNP) government had brokered a deal in the late 1990's with supporters of the Coard Gang to release the prisoners but backed out of the deal after running into hostile opposition from a large cross section of the population. The release of the three prisoners came two days after high court judge, Justice Kenneth Benjamin handed down a ruling against the three inmates in connection with a matter that was filed on their behalf for false imprisonment.

The lawyers were contending that the former soldiers should have been released in February while the State insisted it was to be done in December. Apart from Coard, Austin, James and Layne, the others still behind bars are Selwyn Strachan, Leon Cornwall, Dave Bartholomew, John Ventour, Colville McBarnette, Christopher Stroude, Lester Redhead, Calistus Bernard and Cecil Prime.

The wife of Coard, Phyllis Coard, the lone female involved in the killings was virtually released from the Richmond Hill Prison by the Keith Mitchell-led NNP government on  March 18, 2000 to undergo medical treatment in Jamaica for colon cancer.

Amnesty International which refers to the "Grenada 17" as the "Last of the Cold War prisoners" has constantly lobbied for  their release, arguing that there was gross violation of international standards during the trial proceedings.