4 Officers Are Arraigned for Death of Derrick Uh
As early as nine a.m. today, the media gathered in front of the Corozal Magistrate’s Court as the officers believed to have been culpable in the death of twenty-year-old Derrick Uh were to be arraigned for manslaughter. That matter, however, was not brought before the magistrate until after two p.m. Under heavy police guard, the four officers: Inspector Isaias Sanchez, Sergeant Rosario Romero and P.Cs Errol Peralta and Alrick Borland were paraded from the police station to the courthouse. The media was not allowed to enter the courtroom as officers kept us at bay while the proceeding ensued. No plea was taken and after submissions were made by attorneys for the accused officers, the magistrate decided to grant bail of ten thousand dollars each, plus two sureties. Attorney Norman Rodriguez, who represented Peralta, gave the media an interview just before five p.m. today.
Norman Rodriguez
Norman Rodriguez, Attorney for Errol Peralta
“It’s the usual preceding. If you’re charged for a crime you are brought before the court. You are arraigned then you are read the charge and a plea is taken, but because this one is indictable no plea was taken. Then after that the issue of bail arises. There was no objection to bail; still we had to convince the court. The prosecution is one aspect and then the magistrate still has to make a decision. She will not just grant bail because the prosecution does not object, so we had to make submissions and we presented the usual things. The number one thing about bail is that your either a flight risk or you’re not, and the first thing that I submitted is that a man who is charged on the facts that he was unaware that there was somebody in the van; he cannot be blamed for that so you have no reason to run and go anywhere. On top of that he was gainfully employed and he spent ten years as a community policing officer, so he worked in the same community. Never been charged; never been convicted of anything, so he has no reason to run so he is not a flight risk and that is the primary thing the court has to consider.”
Duane
“Sir, the scope of the bail?”
Norman Rodriguez
“It’s ten thousand himself and two shortages of five thousand dollars each.”
Duane
“Sir, can you say whether that was the same across the board for all four officers?”
Norman Rodriguez
“It was the same across the board for all four officers. They court was minded to grant bail that the defendant had to produce a house paper or house lot or some document related to property. We made further submissions and the court considered those submissions, and that ended up giving them signed bails.”
Duane
“Sir, any other conditions that they need to report to the police station or anything of that sort?”
Norman Rodriguez
“They need to surrender their documents. They are not to apply for any other documents without the permission of the court. They are not to leave the country without permission, and they are to sign in every Monday between six a.m. and nine a.m. at the Corozal Police Station”
The case was adjourned to September thirtieth when the accused officers are to recieve disclosure.
