Shannon Smith Charged for Dangerous Harm in Stabbing of Earlin Butler
Shannon Smith
Twenty-five year old Shannon Smith, a resident of Mahogany Heights, Belize District, who is accused in an alleged home invasion, was back in court today. In March 2015, a man allegedly forced himself into her house and tried to harm her, but instead he was stabbed in the chest multiple times. Smith, who was originally arraigned for Grievous Harm, saw that charge upgraded to Dangerous Harm upon Earlin Butler. Since she was already granted bail, Smith was able to leave the court free. Her next court date is set for November when a preliminary inquiry will determine if there is sufficient evidence to send Smith to trial at the Supreme Court. Smith claims Butler is still stalking her.
Shannon Smith, Charged with Dangerous Harm
“From the last adjournment they told me that it would have been upgraded but they didn’t give me no charge sheet. That was on June twenty-third.”
Reporter
“And this incident happened from March?”
Shannon Smith
“Yes ma’am.”
Reporter
“So over sixth months, now you’ve been given a more serious offense. Tell us what other developments since this incident occurred. You told us that he has been harassing you. tell us in what fashion and what manner has he been harassing you.”
Shannon Smith
“He sends me texts, he calls me. He sends me pictures on Viber with me and him in a heart locket and every time he see me pan street; ih woulda want talk to me and thing like that.”
Reporter
“You and him never had a relationship?”
Shannon Smith
“No, no, no.”
Reporter
“You told me that it is difficult to get a restraining order because you were never a couple. So have you made reports?”
Shannon Smith
“I’ve made several reports and they go talk to he. But as he police officers talk to him, he still messages me back and tells me different things that dehn noh wah stop he because he buy the phone and whatever. But that is a gift and he can’t want control what I do with my phone and thing. I ask them for him to stop, but all dehn could do dah talk to him, but nothing else noh come out of it.”
Reporter
“So what do you want to see happen? The case is before the courts but in terms of how he harasses you. What do you want to see come out of that?”
Shannon Smith
“I just want ih stop because I noh want nothing fi do with ahn. He dah nothing to me; never been nothing to me but wah helper.”
Smith had texts to show that Butler had been sending her and says she had been attempting to get a restraining order but police would not provide it. Butler is also charged criminally. He was slapped with a number of offenses when he was released from the hospital after the incident. Both cases are active and pending trial in the lower court.
