
A jury on Wednesday found Police Constable Sherwin Peters guilty of manslaughter in the 2021 shooting death of Dartmouth businessman Orin Boston—a case that stirred grief, protests, and deep questions about the use of force during police operations.
Peters, who was on trial at the High Court in Essequibo, will be sentenced on July 10. He was remanded to prison following the verdict, which came after weeks of testimony from 25 witnesses. Justice Sandil Kissoon presided over the trial. Peters, notably, represented himself in court while State Counsel Latifah Elliot led the prosecution.
The incident that led to Boston’s death took place in the early hours of September 15, 2021, when the police’s SWAT unit raided his home in Dartmouth, Region Two. The police initially claimed the operation was part of a wider anti-crime effort. But the raid turned deadly, and Boston, a husband and father, was shot and killed.
No illegal items were found in the home, and conflicting accounts quickly emerged. While police alleged there had been a confrontation, Boston’s family insisted he was asleep when the shot was fired. The killing triggered an outpouring of anger across the community. Protests erupted within hours—residents blocked the main bridge in Dartmouth and lit fires on the roadway, demanding justice and transparency.
The backlash prompted an internal police investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility. That report was submitted to the Police Complaints Authority and, later, the Director of Public Prosecutions, who advised that Peters be charged with manslaughter. He was first charged in January 2022 and released on $1 million bail. A year later, in July 2022, he was committed to stand trial.
Boston’s death and the subsequent legal proceedings have cast a long shadow over public trust in law enforcement, especially in rural communities where aggressive policing tactics are often met with suspicion and fear. His family has maintained their call for accountability throughout, attending court hearings and engaging with media over the past three years.