Bert Vasquez to Defend Himself in Appeal Hearing

Bert Vasquez

In the Court of Appeal today, convicted sex offender Bert Vasquez appeared to appeal his November 2018 attempted rape conviction. Vasquez sought and was granted permission for his case to be heard before the appellate court in March. Back in November in the Supreme Court, Justice Colin Williams imposed a four-year-sentence for the crime which is running concurrently with a ten-year conviction for forcible abduction, sexual assault, and harm against a sixteen-year-old minor. As we found out today, in his appeal, Vasquez will represent himself because he claims that no attorney is willing to take on his case. News Five spoke with his mother, Debbie Vasquez after Bert was taken back to the central prison.

Debbie Vasquez, Mother of Bert Vasquez

“Bert put his appeal forward and he put in certain things that he wanted to from the beginning. The judges allowed it and they accept his submissions and he will be back in March. So he will have his appeal and have his say.”

Reporter

“So he is submitting new evidence?”

Debbie Vasquez

Debbie Vasquez

“Yes, he is submitting what he wanted to submit from the first time and they didn’t accept it. But on this appeal, they accepted it and he will have an appeal.”

Duane Moody

“Do you think your son is going to get the assistance that he needs because we know that, like he was saying, that one of the issues was that no attorney wants to take his case?”

Debbie Vasquez

“Well I hope so cause he is defending himself and he knows his case good too. We tried several lawyers, we talk to several lawyers. Some of them say yes we will do it and then when I call back or try get back in touch, they are busy, they don’t have time, the time is too short…bla bla bla. He knows the details of the case, but he is not an attorney-at- law; he is just a lawman. But I think that he will do his best and I hope that he gets justice this time around.”

While he will have his day in the appellate court on March fourth, Vasquez is also awaiting trial for the 2012 murder of Jasmine Lowe in Cayo.