Charges pending for Everal Martinez, but lawyer says he’s not afraid

While freshly outraged by the death of Treshawn Goff, Belizeans are still thinking and talking about the tragedy of Allyssa Nunez of Maskall Village. She was sexually assaulted and sustained severe injuries which led to her death on Sunday morning. As of news time tonight, police say no additional charges have been filed against twenty-one year old Everal Martinez, her stepfather. Just before news time, Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Vidal told News Five that she still awaits the written report of the forensic examiner to determine what charges will be laid. The post-mortem examination on Allyssa Nunez cited cause of death as a massive brain hemorrhage due to head trauma. Meanwhile, Martinez is accused of two counts each of attempted rape and attempted assault of a child under sixteen years by penetration, and suspected of involvement in the death of the seventeen-month-old. Martinez’s attorney Oscar Selgado was asked following his arraignment on Monday whether he had second thoughts about taking the highly charged case. He gave an emphatic no and directed a barb at the protestors lined up at the Battlefield Park.

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Everal Martinez

Oscar Selgado

“I am not moved by the public; law is reason free from passion. And I have no regret in taking this case. This is my job; I’m a criminal defense attorney, I am trained for this. And one of these days when those casting stones out there – when the table is turned and one of them is accused of a heinous crime, I will be there for them too. So I am here for every Belizean that needs representation. And like I state, I am here without fear or favour; I am here with the law. Justice is about defending, not just about prosecuting. It is about applying the law to the facts. So I have no regret in representing Everal Martinez at all, and I have no fear, no fear in representing him, any at all.”