Is Collin Francis Fit to Stand Trial for Murder?

Collin Francis Jr.

A competency hearing to determine whether Collin Francis Junior is eligible to stand trial for the murder of Nestor Vasquez Junior continued today before Justice Nigel Pilgrim.  The High Court judge called on Virgilio Murillo, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kolbe Foundation, to testify on the conditions of the Belize Central Prison should Francis be deemed unfit to stand trial.  Assurances must be given that Francis will be kept in a safe environment and that the C.E.O. must be able to determine where that safe space is.  On November twenty-fifth, 2019, Collin Francis Junior was arraigned for the murder of sixty-year-old Nestor Vasquez Junior who was beaten to death inside a holding cell at the Queen Street Police Station.  That incident happened on June sixth, 2019 when Vasquez and Francis, both diagnosed with mental illness, were placed inside a cell while in police custody.  Vasquez was rushed to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital but succumbed to his injuries two days later.