Justice for Laddie Foundation Hosting Youth for Change Symposium

Laddie Gillett

On July fourteenth, 2021, fourteen-year-old Laddie Gillett was vacationing in Placencia when he was shot and killed by then police officer, Corporal Kareem Martinez. Martinez has since been dismissed from the Belize Police Department and is to stand trial for the shooting death of the minor. That trial is to commence next Friday, January twenty-seventh in Dangriga, the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. But ahead of the trial for manslaughter, the Justice for Laddie Foundation is hosting a Youth for Change Symposium this Saturday at the Radisson. Earlier today, Laddie’s guardian Emil Bradley and the foundation’s director Demoi’s  Williams appeared on Open Your Eyes saying that they are trying to hold accountable the police officers who abuse their authority.

Demoi’s Williams

Demoi’s Williams, Director, Justice for Laddie Foundation

“We want to ensure these things never happen again. The first goal is to ensure that justice is served properly and that the punishment fits the crime and we would like to see that for the sake of Laddie and the family, but also to ensure that it never happens again.”

Emil Bradley

Emil Bradley, Former Guardian of Deceased

“It’s been rough, especially for my little son who grow up with Laddie. Seeing him sometimes looking at the tomb, he would say where is Laddie, is he coming back? But we are trying to be there for him, for others. We really appreciate the support we get from other people. Like Demmy said, not only for Laddie, but we would want to do this for others because I think it is time to put a stop to all the wrongdoings especially by law enforcement officers. So for us, this is just a starting point for others, so this is just where we are starting. Let me be careful with my words. With time, a lot of people ask, you guys are quiet, you are taking it cool. It’s not that. We are just trying to give the system a break and to see what the end result will be. Like Demmy mentioned early, we would like to see a fair conviction – whatever is being put on him after he is being convicted, if he is being convicted, enough for the crime that he has committed. It might seem hard, but we need to do this, we need to start at some point; we need to set an example. For other police officers to don’t sit and think that I can abuse my authority or my power that I have and nothing will be done.”