3 Men Acquitted for 2012 Murder
Feliciano Briceño
A trio of men, on remand at the Belize Central Prison since August 2012, has been acquitted of the joint charge of murder in the Orange Walk Supreme Court. This morning, Manuel Toloza, Feliciano Briceño and Julio Castillo appeared before Justice Herbert Lord during a bench trial where they were found not guilty of the murder of Ricardo Elmer Blanco. Blanco’s nude remains were discovered on August sixth, 2012, approximately three hundred yards off the Phillip Goldson Highway, a mile and half away from Trial Farm. The handyman had been reported missing by his family several days earlier, before being found with abrasions to the chest and face and a piece of cloth tied around his neck. It is believed that Blanco may have been physically assaulted and then strangled with his own underwear. Crown witness, Henry Martinez, was reluctant to testify in court, alleging police brutality. Martinez averred that the statements provided to Orange Walk police were obtained forcefully and was subsequently declared a hostile witness. The trio, at the end of the court case, was then set free. They spoke with the media briefly following their release.
Feliciano Briceño, Acquitted of Murder
“I mi deh da jail innocently due to dehn police officers, dehn noh di do dehn, dehn noh di conduct dehn job good right. Right now dehn got lotta innocent man right now da jail because ah dehn police officers dehn noh di mek dehn job right and dat da all weh I haffu she and I straight.”
Acquitted of Murder
“Mek justice prevail eena dis court ya and I free of the charge of murder. That’s all I have to seh.”
Reporter
“And you sir?”
Acquitted of Murder
“Di only ting I got fu sehe right that I innocent, innocently I gaan da jail right and the ting is dehn still got innocent man da jail weh noh commit no crime, check… I gaan da jail innocently, fu nothing and then dehn stop me from my education and from everything check. But like I done come out [soh] things wahn start again, you know, as normal check.”
