Prisoner stabbed in Queen Street cell
He was accused of killing a Belize City businessman, but today he didn’t get his day in court…not because of a mix up or problem with the justice system, but because he was attacked at the Queen Street police station. Jacqueline Woods has the details of this startling incident.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
This afternoon twenty year old Jermaine Pascasio, on remand for the murder of well known businessman Inez Leal, was scheduled to appear in court. But before Pascasio could leave the police holding cell on Queen Street he was stabbed multiple times in his face, chest, abdomen, back, and leg. Pascasio, who claims he does not know who attacked him, said a young man called him to the back of the cell and that is when he was struck repeatedly with a sharp metal object.
Jermaine Pascasio, Charged with Murder
“Same time a guy?I did not see his face?attacked me from behind and inflict a stab wound to the side of my face. At the same time another approached in a yellow shirt and attacked me.”
Jacqueline Woods
?So there were two guys who attacked you??
Jermaine Pascasio
?Yes, and inflicted numerous stab wounds to my body.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Do you know why they attacked you??
Jermaine Pascasio
?I have no reason.?
Jacqueline Woods
?What happened next??
Jermaine Pascasio
?I managed to get away from them and run to the front. I tumbled down and the officers transported me here.?
Gilda Jones says she cannot believe the police did nothing to help save her son, but says she is not surprised and alleges he has been repeatedly harassed by authorities.
Gilda Jones, Mother
“The policeman they deh deh and they stab he twelve times, because first they tell me nine when I come yah, but when they gone through it dah twelve. And then police noh do nothing.”
Pascasio has been on remand for the past seven months at the Hattieville Prison. Police Press Officer G. Michael Reid says all persons held are subjected to a body search and they are investigating to find out what went wrong.
G. Michael Reid, Police Press Officer
“Everybody coming in and out of the cell block area is searched thoroughly. Unfortunately, it?s not an exact science and things from time to time will occur. We?re dealing with human resources and unfortunately sometimes they?ll miss. This was not a very object that was used in the stabbing…it was a four inch sharp metal, something like a bicycle spoke.”
Jacqueline Woods
?Mister Pascasio is claiming he does not know who stabbed him. Do the police know exactly who inflicted these wounds, and what will happen to these guys??
G. Michael Reid
?This is the unfortunately thing, one stab and you can understand a person not knowing. This young man received multiple stab wounds and yet has no idea who did it. Nobody in the cell block area is cooperating with the police, it happened out of the view of the police on duty, so certainly the best we can do is try to investigate and come up with some sort of circumstantial evidence that might assist us in leading us to the guilty party.?
Jacqueline Woods
?Will the police who was on duty at the time be held accountable??
G. Michael Reid
?Certainly, he will have to face charges on this one, and the police are looking into that right now because it is important that we know exactly what these persons have on them. Again, the search is done, it?s a difficult thing, but we must be meticulous.?
Jacqueline Woods reporting for News 5.
Pascasio is in stable condition at the K.H.M.H..
