Jamil Betancourt freed of execution style double murder

Twenty-three year old Adrian Espinosa and eighteen year old Elroy Flowers were murdered execution style on January twenty-second of 2007 at an apartment on Pointsetta Street in the St. Martin’s de Porres Area. And on Thursday, Belize City resident Jamil Betancourt, who was accused for the double murder, was acquitted of the charges in the Supreme Court. Betancourt’s acquittal came after the prosecutor’s main witness, Michael Goff, took to the stand and told the court that he could not identify the gunman who wore a mask which concealed his identity. Goff himself was shot three times on that day. As a result, Senior Crown Council, Cecil Ramirez, closed his case and Justice Michelle Arana directed the jury of twelve persons who was empanelled on Monday of this week to acquit Betancourt of the double murder.
That was on Thursday, but today in the Supreme Court, Basilio Balo, who was facing charges of aggravated assault of an indecent nature, child stealing and threat of death was also acquitted. The twenty-three year old tour guide of Belize City was arrested and charged after a ten year old child accused him of assaulting her and then threatening to take her life if she told anyone of the incident back in 2006. But this morning, in front of Justice Adolph Lucas, a jury of 5 men and 4 women were directed to acquit the accused of all charges when his attorney entered a no case submission. Judge Lucas also noted that there were a number of inconsistencies in the child’s testimony and the evidence against the accused was insufficient.