Man acquitted of M.C.C. shooting

He’s been bailed twice and tried three times, but today Mark Gardiner was acquitted of manslaughter charges by a jury in the Supreme Court. The four men, three women jury deliberated for a little over three hours, and came up seven to two for acquittal. Gardiner was accused of the shooting death of Gregory Batty on March fourteenth, 2003, at the M.C.C. Grounds in Belize City during a high school football game. Gardiner told police he was talking with a friend when Batty punched him in the eye and then six to nine young men jumped him and began beating him. Gardiner claimed he fired a shot at the ground, but denied shooting Batty who received a gunshot wound to his face which proved fatal. Gardiner was originally charged with murder, but during trial the jury failed to reach a verdict. His charge was then reduced to manslaughter and he was tried again, but it resulted in a hung jury. Justice Troadio Gonzalez presided over the trial this time, but it was up to the jury to decide if it was indeed manslaughter, extreme use of force, or self-defence.