Accused murderer claims police brutality
While our news team was at the Hattieville Prison this morning they were stopped by an inmate of the maximum security section, Edwardo Martinez. Martinez has been accused of killing sixty-two year old businessman Fredrick Hopkins. Hopkins’ decomposed body was found last Thursday after his vehicle was discovered on April first. Martinez claims he is innocent and that he was brutally beaten by police officers from the Criminal Investigations Branch before he was taken to the prison. He says that from the minute he heard police were looking for him he gave himself in. He also denied that he was the one who took police to the body.
Edwardo Martinez, Accused
“When I heard that I call the police telling them that I was coming in. I went in there on my own free will. When I was in the vehicle with them they began to beat me and shock me – (showing) shock marks and burn marks from cigarettes.
I did not take them. They took me and wanted me to sign a statement. I did not take them there.
I did not sign my name to the confession. They signed my name on it. I could show you a copy of my signature. I am a business person; everybody knows my signature.
I am not a violent person. Everybody who sees me want to know how I got in here. I am a victim of circumstance.”
Martinez also said that he used to work along with Hopkins delivering groceries from stores in Belize City to the districts. He says that if the signature on the statement is checked properly it will be revealed that it was not his signature. During the interview Martinez also made very strong allegations against members of the Criminal Investigations Branch, stating that they know who killed Hopkins but are simply trying to frame him for the murder. A.I.P. Simeon Alvarez told News Five this evening that his officers do not ever beat suspects and he has no knowledge of the burn marks Martinez has on his chest. However, two prison officers we spoke to confirmed that Martinez arrived at Hattieville badly beaten and with burns on his chest. He recently suffered a seizure which they believe was caused by the beatings he received.
