Cayo man gets 25 years for rape
Meanwhile across the bridge at the Supreme Court, another judge made sure a twenty-five year old man paid his debt to society for raping a young woman last year. This afternoon, Justice Christopher Blackman handed down a verdict and a condemnation for Edrick Cruz of San Ignacio. News Five was there.
Ann-Marie Williams
A jury of four women and five men deliberated for about an hour this afternoon in the Supreme Court before finding twenty-five year old Edrick Cruz also known as “Alex Williams” of Cayo guilty of raping a twenty-two year old Unites States student.
Before sentencing his client, Attorney Simeon Sampson asked Justice Christopher Blackman that he impose the minimum sentence of eight years on Cruz.
For his part, Justice Blackman told Cruz: “Rape is an abomination. It brings trauma and life long scars on the victim. The sentence must reflect the gravity of the offence and protect the women in our society. Besides, the victim was raped twice and she was a virgin.”
Justice Blackman then handed down a twenty-five year sentence on Edrick Cruz. One that attorney Simeon Sampson was not in favour of.
Simeon Sampson, Cruz’s Attorney
“It was excessive. Excessive is too mild a word.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“You asked for the minimum sentence of eight years. Do you think he was deserving of that?”
Simeon Sampson
“Even for murder or manslaughter, people sentenced for manslaughter get less than twenty-five years. She wasn’t killed, who was only raped.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Could it be that because the judge said she was a virgin and was raped twice?”
Simeon Sampson
“I just cannot say what was the criteria. But using Belize’s standards, I’m not aware that any person in Belize has ever been sentenced to twenty-five years for rape. Not in Belize.”
Ann-Marie Williams
“Maybe this is sending a different message, you think?”
Sampson walks away.
Edrick Cruz, who’s already serving time in prison, was then escorted in handcuffs to start his twenty-five year term. Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
About an hour before Cruz was sentenced, temporary judge Wilfred Elrington also sentenced another man to a substantial time in jail for rape. Linsford Garnett will spend ten years in prison for raping his cousin, a thirty-four year old woman, last May.
