Cowboy complains of unfair treatment to Ombudsman
He has been in the news several times before for allegations as a rogue cop and then he was charged for the murder of an Orange Walk businessman, thirty-six year old Hui Lin Chen and for injuring three police officers in March of 2009. But since thirty three year old Kevin “Cowboy” Alvarez was stabbed in the abdomen allegedly by another inmate, Jeffrey Flowers, in the Tango Ten area of the Hattieville Prison this past Saturday, he claims he has been subjected to inhumane treatment at the facility. So today he asked for permission to visit the office of the Ombudsman to lodge a formal complaint against the Kolbe Foundation and the treatment he says he’s getting.
While someone for Alvarez called News Five to meet with him at the Ombudsman’s office on Freetown Road, he could not offer comment because he feared he would be sanctioned for breaking prison rules. But we did get a shot of him leaving the office, escorted by prison guards after he had filed his complaint with the Ombudsman, Cynthia Pitts. She shared with us the nature of the complaint and what her office will do about it.
Cynthia Pitts, Ombudsman
“We got a call where we were told that he wanted to come because he was the person who was stabbed but he feels as if he is being punished because he was stabbed on Saturday and he got visits from his family members on Sunday and Monday but then beginning Tuesday he was told that he was on sanction so he couldn’t receive visitors, he was not receiving food and apparently he does not eat the jail food because the family members take his food, he could not make calls, and he felt as if he’s being punished and the person who was charged with the stabbing is not placed in a situation like this, but this is the victim. So that is why he wanted to come here to make a complaint. And he thinks it is linked to the fact that after the stabbing incident he spoke to a counselor at the prison and made a comment to the effect that he is considering suing the prison because the fellow who stabbed him has stabbed about three or four other persons.”
Marion Ali
“Allegedly?”
Cynthia Pitts
“Yes. He has a case that will be coming up. He thought that the prison authorities were to be blamed because they know that this fellow is in the habit apparently of stabbing persons and he made a comment to that effect and it is after that that he was placed on sanctions. So he thinks that he is being punished because of what he said.”
Marion Ali
“So it’s not a matter of him being put in protective custody, it’s a matter of him being penalized for what he said?”
Cynthia Pitts
“Well I have not gotten the comments of the prison authorities. He came here and gave a long statement and the procedure that we use is to send the statement as is and to ask for their comments. I certainly would like to get the comments of the prison officials about it.
Marion Ali
“And correct whatever wrongs are…”
Cynthia Pitts
“Yes, and to know if he’s being abused”
According to the Ombudsman, Alvarez does not have a problem with the solitary confinement but that he was denied calls and food and visits from family.
Poor boy, I love the way “Cowboy” is complaining about his treatment and not able to see his family and get his food. What about the china man he killed, his family will never see him again or be able to give him another meal. That man had a right to live, too bad “Cowboy” lost sight of that fact. If the death penalty was in place, just the way he is crying for his food, he would be trying to save his own life. Take the cowards guns and their home boys away and they are cowards. Let the prison overseers do their jobs, there is a reason this renegade is a prisoner, he killed for money, his victim blood cries out for justice.
What about –what happens in jail stays in jail—dude you deserve every bit of aggression that you encounter whilst a guest in prison–besides your’e a … murderer–I agree with you AL–Please enforce the death penalty –lets make it work–what about LETHAL INJECTION
cowboy i like the way you bawl hoping the you feel the starting of your hell time. you almost killed our best family friend while you did the hitman job. now our family freind has recovered partialy and is not bawling like you s.o.b . hope next time they have a hitman inside there for you waiting waiting when you recover for the next round of hell.
I thought “COWBOYS” were tough and didnt complain. jajaja. seems he is a coward after all. I think he deserves that he is getting.
How bout the Chinese man he kiss, and how about the policemen he almost killed heh?
Come on “cowboy” stop being a cry baby, and take your licking now.
What GOES around…..COMES around!!!!
We need to look at this situation from a higher level. If Cowboy, is being abused, then what are the chances of other inmates being abused? — Inmates who have good intentions when they leave prison, inmates who are in prison for petty crimes like marijuana posession, inmates who were wrongfully accused.
What does this say about rehabilitation efforts in the prison? We need to leave the specifics of Cowboy’s case history out of this and ask what it means for the prison on a whole.
Therefore, it is of concern to us what is happening in this situation. Stabbing shouldn’t be tolerated in prison.
I totally agree with you all, he wants to ball and cry, who will ball and crime for Hui Lin Chen no matters how many tears his family shed he will never come back from the dead. Cry and ball he is where he deserves to be, now its his time to get punished, but knowing Belize and Human Rights and all that oh they will help him, even though he gave up all rights when he killed and shot innocent people Lets see what they will give him a gold medal for crying and bawling
He ain’t no cowboy he is more like a brokeback mountain rope muncher!
Cowboy is no saint and like Tyadia said we dont want his history to overshadow what is happening at Kolbe but let’s be real. Is is fair for someone to commit a crime go to prison (even if on remand) and get the same benefits as if he were out here. Prison cooks for a reason so why should he still be enjoying his family meal like he is free. Cowboy and every other hard core criminal need to be under strict controls. Prison need to stop giving the prisoners a better life of no stress as to how their bills will be paid because we are paying it, where they will sleep because we are paying it, daily recreation which most of us can only afford on certain weekends. At the end of the day people are fighting hand over fist to get in there because living is sweet. I dont agree with inmates being stabbed but they get too accustom to too much freedom.
I know the Obudsman needs to follow procedure….but i certainly hope she draggs her feet….like say a couple of years before she follows up…it’s really a small taste of poetic justice for this hitman.
I just want to make it clear that I’m not advocating for lenient, undisciplined treatment. I just want to ensure that inmates aren’t being stabbed. Is that really too much of a demand?
Case scenario: My young brother is caught with weed. He gets a one year sentence in prison. He gets stabbed in prison. No one cares. Do you think that’s fair?
While it’s difficult to pity Cowboy’s stabbing incident, it’s not something that should be overlooked. A simple, “Dah good fuh he” nuh dih cut it. Yuh get mih? We have to think about everyone else’s safety in there.
Not everyone in prison is serving time for murder and attempted murder., so we must ensure that those people are safe.
Tyadia, far as i know your brother with one stick of weed won’t be put in with HIGH PROFILE MURDER”S LIKE COWBOY…think the violence from the streets is spilling over to the prison, crime in society creates a ripple effect everywhere. No one (except you) has any pity on cowboy because he killed human beings for money!
and yes if it was any other inmates serving time for drug related offense, one can understand your bleeding heart, but your request for sympathy for this poor murderous soul begs the question of your relationship with the murderer. You CANNOT, i repeat CANNOT! overlook his crime. If he’d killed your brother i’d bet you’d be praying that that stab was fatal.
We live in a society with rules.When someone break the rules we lock them up in prision.Cowboy is doing time for his crime, but at the same time he still have basic human rights.Belize is a member of the United Nations and other world organizations that promotes human rights.All citizen should expect humane treatment when they are in prison.It might be you one day , or a family member.
There is no where in our constitution it say that people in prison do not have rights, and for the people who think prison life is easy they should ask to spend some time in prison and when they come out tell me if it was sweet.
he should be the last to complain, he deserve more than that for what he did to the man he killed.
he lucky dem neva cut his throat, hopefully next time.
Whatever you do to others will come back 2 U!!!
To those who might not know, this wasn’t cowboy’s first hit, this is just the 1 he got caught for. This guy should rot in jail. your rite it was his throat they needed to cut.
Thats why belize is the way it is. Some of you sound stupid and ignorant. How can you promote stabbings and inhumane practices period! where ever it happening. Remember Innocent people go to jail too….and for the same reasons why we are all watching our country die.