ComPol Debunks “Legal Opinion” on Corporal Martinez Intent
Chester Williams
A document circulating on social media claiming to be a legal opinion from a former prosecutor argues that there is a case for Corporal Kareem Martinez to be charged for murder. Corporal Martinez, as we have reported, stands accused of killing fourteen year old Laddie Gillett on a beach in Placencia with his service issued weapon while on duty a few weeks ago. While the social media post is anonymous, its author claims that Martinez’s decision to fire from close proximity is an indication of intent to kill. He or she further states that what occurred after the shot was fired reinforces that Martinez had formed the specific intention to kill the moment he fired the shot. Commissioner of Police Chester Williams responded to the anonymous post.
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“As a lawyer, I don’t believe that document was written by one of my colleagues. If it is, then that colleague needs to go back to law school. It is not even as good as what paralegal would do. Because, the truth of the matter is, one of the cases that the person used in the argument s the case against Michael Fox, when he shot and killed I think the guy Bradley on a bridge near East Collet Canal. Now, if you look at the circumstances or the facts in that case were, the evidence given by the witness in that case was that Michael Fox went in that area, stooped down, waited for the victim to come, and fired four to five shots at the victim, hitting and killing him. Now, you can clearly distinguish that case from what happened in the Martinez case. In the case with Martinez, he was a police officer on duty responding to a call from a member of the public. He fired one shot, not multiple, one shot. And, unfortunately that shot caught and killed the young man. Now, how can you compare those two cases? Even if it were that in that case Michael Fox had not caught the deceased and just fired five shots, the fact that he fired five shots would have indicate intent to kill. But, when you just fire one shot, the gun that you have carries fifteen rounds, and you fire one, how can you arrive at intent to kill?”
Reporter
“If you fire a shot at someone less than fifty feet away, pointing at them and not shooting it a warning shot style, do you not have intent to kill?”
Chester Williams
“It depends on where you aim. If you aim for a person head and you catch that person in the head, one would say that the probability of shooting someone in the head, and that person survives is very slim. So if it can be proven that he shot the person in the head then it can be said that there was a clear intent to kill.”
