Ex-cop fined for 2004 traffic death

In the Supreme Court today, a former police officer appeared for sentencing following a manslaughter by negligence conviction in Belmopan last month. Cardinal Smith appeared before Justice Michelle Arana and apologised to the family of the victim of the 2004 traffic accident which claimed the life of Jamil Torres Shepherd. As it turns out, Shepherd?s foster parents are cousins of Smith, as is his attorney Oswald Smith. A mitigation plea was also entered by Assistant Commissioner of Police Eduardo Wade. Justice Arana fined Smith six thousand dollars for the offence, which he is to pay by March thirty-first or spend two years in jail. The accident occurred on June sixth, 2004 between miles fifty-four and fifty-five on the Hummingbird Highway when Smith ran off the road and killed Shepherd. Smith was driving a government vehicle at the time and has paid G.O.B. fifteen hundred dollars towards the damaged vehicle.