Jasmine Hartin Remanded until Bail is Posted
In a turn of events, Canadian Jasmine Hartin, who was out on bail and facing charges of manslaughter by negligence in the death of police Superintendent Henry Jemmott at San Pedro last month, is once more in the arms of the law. New charges were levied against her this morning following an incident at the Grand Colony Hotel in San Pedro on Tuesday, but as News Five’s Duane Moody found out today at the Supreme Court there were bigger problems brewing for the mother of two.
Duane Moody, Reporting
After three p.m. today, Jasmine Hartin was escorted up the steps of the Supreme Court in Belize City where she reappeared before Justice Herbert Lord. It wasn’t a bail revocation hearing, but actually a session to hear a withdrawal application from Frank Habet, the General Manager of Grand Colony Resort, who had posted the thirty-thousand-dollar bail bond and signed the surety of the same amount on behalf of Hartin back on June ninth. In court, Habet said that he did not believe that Hartin will show up to court on her hearing date and so is requesting the removal of the cash deposit and surety.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney-at-law
“The purpose of now coming to the high court is for her to hear that the person who had signed bail for her is asking the court to allow the person to withdraw that bail. That application was only made today; this afternoon. That’s what the Crown Counsel told his Lordship the Judge. Miss Hartin is accused of a terrible crime, of taking the life of one of our finest officers, but she is entitled to the protection of the court and the law. You can’t just come dah court and say I di take back my bail because I think that lady might want go dah Canada and this and that and then you just send her to jail after that. Excuse me? No man, we still live under the rule of law; I am really shocked by what is happening.”
On Thursday, Hartin was detained by San Ignacio Police pending charges of common assault of Sandra Grisham in San Pedro on Monday and possession of a controlled drug. She was arraigned this afternoon at the island’s Magistrate Court before she was whisked to Belize City this afternoon for the hearing. Bradley believed that it was an ambush on his client who was notified about an hour before she appeared before Justice Lord.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“Everybody is entitled to some reasonable notice. As you heard me complained, Miss Hartin was kept at the San Ignacio Police Station yesterday. She’s down and out and can’t see her children and she goes to sign in as ordered by the court and they detain her on the spurious grounds that there is a charge for common assault. Now common assault is a petty offense; nobody goes to jail for common assault. You are charged a little twenty-five dollars and given time to pay. Miss Hartin remains in custody, her mother could not make contact with her; they found out after the fact that she was secreted out the backdoor of the station and taken to another station. Eventually she was discovered at the Queen Street Police Station in Belize City this morning. She was then taken from the Queen Street Police Station out to the San Pedro Magistrate Court where two charges were read to her. More than likely under instructions, the prosecutor who is a good and decent officer was instructed to oppose any grant of bail. Do you believe that? For a minor charge of zero point four grams of some substances which has not yet been tested and for common assault, you are opposing bail. OUT in other words take away your liberty.”
Justice Lord ruled that the original bail remains enforced as ordered and any person or persons are free to submit and pay to the court the sum ordered of thirty thousand dollars cash and Hartin will have her freedom. But in the absence of that bail bond and surety, the thirty-two-year-old Canadian national will return to the central prison in Hattieville until that happens.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“The court is saying that Miss Hartin is still entitled; that the original bail order stands. She has been offered bail and she is entitled to replace that surety anytime and that will be allowed.”
Duane Moody
“Sir given the time that you have right now, do you think that you’d be able to get that bail? Get someone to post that bail?”
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“Well I man is the lawyer to come to court to see that dehn neva chance ahn. Ih get wah lee slight chance but Jah is good overall. She now needs to scramble. That part woulda cost more for me to get involved in that part there. So I just did what I did and she will use my phone and make calls to one or two persons and hopefully this evening, tomorrow, Sunday – a person has a right to come out of jail anytime – morning noon or night.”
Duane Moody
“So if she is not able to make that bail…”
Richard “Dickie” Bradley
“Let me put it this way, then the forces of evil have succeeded for a day or two.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
