Badly beaten woman says cops did it and then charged her family
lattiana choc
There is another report of bad cops to add to the growing list tonight. A young mother and her boyfriend are suffering from injuries to the body which they claim were inflicted by several police officers attached to the Ladyville substation. But it is the victims who are facing a slew of charges. According to Lattiana Choc, on Saturday, she was at home with thirty-one year old Delvin Retreage, their two-year old baby and her sister, Elcelena Tulsey, when police intervened in a squabble between the family and a neighbour over ownership of a parcel of land located in the area. Lattiana says police attacked her boyfriend while he was going to retrieve the land papers. Both Lattiana and Delvin claim they were beaten and then along with Elcelena, they were detained and criminally charged .
Today when the trio appeared before Magistrate Kathleen Lewis, they were slapped with twenty-three charges—including aggravated assault on several police officers, damage to property, obstruction, harm and uttering threatening words. Magistrate Lewis adjourned the matter for July sixteenth. News Five caught up with Lattiana as she exited the courtroom with her attorney, Dickie Bradley, and she told News Five her version of what happened last Saturday.
Lattiana Choc, Claims Police Brutality
“While they were struggling because they wanted to take him for whatever reason, they were struggling with our baby—two officers. So while I was behind one officer probably think that I was going to start something. He grabbed me from behind—a male dark skin officer—he grabbed me from behind and when he grabbed me I said, “Please officer, let go mi hand so I can go and get my baby.” Those were my exact words. So while he was holding my hand, me and he had a struggle because come on it’s my baby. So while he had my hand hold, I assume my fingernails probably dig him or something and out of the blues I just feel a blow, my face just start—blood run down. I was so frightened and shock that I throw myself on the officer and all of that because I couldn’t believe it. Honestly, none of those officers came. They didn’t cautioned us in the sense that you are under arrest—nothing like that.”
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for the Choc Family
dickie bradley
“The police officers who have ill-treated her and her boyfriend. He told the magistrate a long list—they chip his teeth, burst his mouth, burst his head, kick ahn up, whap ahn up. Look at her size! Three police officers are saying that she beat them up, three male police officers. It’s pure nonsense, they owe her an apology, they should withdraw the charges and try to find some way to settle this matter amicably otherwise it will go to the Supreme Court.”
Lattiana Choc
“Not only justice I want, but I want some type of compensation, I want to get something out of it because I am scared for life. I mean he could have easily pushed me or grab me, pick me up or something. How I could resist you when you noh even arrest me?”
According to Bradley, the police department can expect to be sued.
thats what u call abusing your authority as a police officer…..
Like I said before, the people also need to help support the force to stop crimes, so far so good.
Although I feel some sympathy towards this woman, I do not believe that she did not put up some kind of resistance, or that she did not appeared to be of some threat, with words or of action.
Her baby was somehow caught in the middle of it all, which is possibly the reason why she could not resist putting up some resistance here in this situation; any mother can understand this of course.
I do not condone police brutality in any form or shape, but I do believe that when an officer is threaten or harm they should use force at any cost.
We keep hearing about police officers being abusive. I am wondering why is it that they have not used the taser guns that they have (oh they might just find a way to kill someone with it). There is pepper spray and other stuff that the department can use to deter criminals. The charges are always the same when police are placing bogus charges people. The charges will be aggravated assault on a police officer, damage to property, obstruction, harm and uttering threatening words. (Joshua Arana was also charged with obstruction) What was Ms. Choc obstructing; was it the officers who was pulling her helpless two year old? What is uttering threatening words? If you curse me I sure will curse you back. You respect me and I will respect you. The problem with the police department is that they have too many uneducated thugs; the department is filled with abusive criminals. Many times when you hear of a male police officer hitting a woman, believe me it is something that comes naturally to them. If I was Ms. Choc, I would sue the Police Department and bring a civil suit against all officers involved. The Police Department needs to train their officers in dealing with situation such as these. The days for uneducated officers who lack public relations and has no common sense in bringing volatile situation to an amicable one is long gone. All the officers in the department need to do Psychology 101 course maybe then they will start understanding where they are going wrong.
Police office are not superior to the citizens. I have no respect for them because they have no respectfor us . yet they ask for help to solve crime when they are the ones committing a crime. The citizens can not use foul language to a police officer they want to charge you. But they can insult you your and family and do nothing no.
Public do not help the police they do not appreciate it. Let them ome out of there pretty office and work for there money instread we helping them solve the crimes . that is why are fat police man.
98% OF THE POLICE DEPT ARE CORRUPT.WE HAVE LOST FAIT IN THEM AND THE JUSTICE SYSTEM.
I AGREE WITH ALL OF THE ABOVE COMMENTS the trust has been lost and the use of brutal force is being used even to ladies. why would a male police have to arrest ladies when we see the fat police ladies chatting while they ridein the pickup that we the tax payers pay for them. police ladies are supposed to deal with ladies. where are the police ladies? it really brings more hatred towards the police ( shouldn’t even be called officers ). hope dickie for the first time does somethings positive in a case like this. instead of fighting for criminal fight for the abused dickie and people will respect you and have as a outstanding lawyer not a bad liar. really this angers me to read this news case.
It’s a pity that people are losing faith in the police dept, and of course this is partly due to the fact that YES there are thugs/corrupt officers who do not belong in the dept, but I must disagree with “Melvin” that it’s 98%… wonder where he got that figure..We as belizeans tend to generalize everything… and I have to agree with “maddyvandijk” that many times the “innocent Victims of police brutality” are not that innocent after all, but are opportunits that capitalize on the bad reputation the police has earned [at times but mostly we have given them]. This news article reminds me of an incident (I presume similar to this) I witnessed some months ago in Corozal Town where officers came to arrest an unruly, violent individual from an establishment. His wife, holding a baby in arms, lunged at the officers with fingernails bared to “defend” her man. The police tried to restrain her peacefully but her attack become more violent, to the point where she put her 1 year old child on the street, so as to continue cursing, threatening with death, kicking, scratching and punching the officers. But alas, when the police responded to the aggressions by restraining her more vigorously, all hell broke loose. To all that, it was a police officer who picked the child from the street and moved him to a more secure location away from harm’s way, while the child’s “loving mother” focused all her attention in “defending her man”. The outcome : the police charged her for the same offences that Choc was charged; She charged the police for the same offences Choc is charging the police now (good thing Dickie was far from Corozal). Who did the people and media (who were not witness of the incident) side with? Of course the “innocent defenseless woman – Victim of police brutality”.
We as a people and especially the media have to really rethink our role in combating corruption and crime. Labelling immediatley ALL police officers as corrupt and abusive and most of their actions as excessive use of force is just compounding more our problem. As for the media, they are a business enterprise and believe me, anywhere in the world sensationalism sells, especially if it comes with the headline “Police Brutality”, good thing channel 5 didn’t use that headline!! Imust applaud them for their choice of words “woman says”
“police ladies are supposed to deal with ladies. ”
Don’t agree with this, Belizean Pride.
Police are police. Civilians are Civilians.
Gender shouldn’t have any role in this situation.
uh oh! let’s wait and see what comes out of this now..
BRAVO, Roska!
As soon as Dickie Bradley gets involved, you know that a criminal will walk free.
I heard from a witness to the ‘altercation’ that the woman was actually biting a Police Officers Hand when he hit her, whilst another Officers shirt was covered in blood from being stoned, and police vehicles were stoned by these people. They were stoning a neighbours house, breaking windows etc. which is why the Police were involved.
I hope the Police produce photographs and video evidence in court, as this was filmed by someone, and photos were taken. It was quite a scene, from what I heard from the witness.
The legal proffession is dam if you do dam if you don’t. As mankind become so-call civilized he realize that an accused person should have an advocate. a middle person to represent the accused. Unlearned individuals fault Dicky Bardley for been a sucessful advocate. The public complain every day about been chance by the police, yet there are so many who seem to have an adverse attitude toward a capable defense attorney. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DICKY.
This is very embarassing. As a Belizean Foreigner living abroad, its disgusting to open the news and read this kind of behavior from the people whom sre suppose to protect you. Especially men beating a woman. I guess this shows that their father’s beat their mothers.. Its a …. action. Grow up, they also put SINGH incharge of the police department,, things will get worst.. I am staying here.. No way will i go back to BELIZE
why should we support the damn police when they are the same ones committing the crimes! in the pass couple weeks the police are the same ones who here in the news like every night! sad! i trust them no further than i see them!
This looks like a no win situation here, should we even bother anymore.
There has been incidents of police/BDF brutality, while the facts are as clear as cystal the majority of the force is not committing crimes against the citizens.
I’ve seen a million time on those police shows when people are acting out of hand, they are trained to take control of the situation and apprehend the person that they are dealing with. There are many techniques to overtake someone if need be. I’ve never seen them have to punch someone in the face, especially a woman. This outrages me in such a way that every time I think about it I get high blood pressure. Belize is already trying to make strides in bettering abuse against women and as we can see, the very people that are suppose to make sure this stops happening, are doing it! I’ve heard plenty about the Ladyville police from my own village police! I happen to know for a fact that they have a personal issue with this womans boyfriend and obviously can’t control their emotions in a professional way. Like the person above said.. it comes naturally to them.
DAVEYT – I think it’s unwise to go off of hear-say cuz u know how things go here in BZ. I know this young woman and she is very reserved and quiet. I agree that there was something going on with the neighbor who has been throwing trash on their property but the police went in not handling the situation correctly to begin with. A police officer should be properly trained to detain a person, whether male or female, in a proper way. Not make matters worse and add fuel to the fire because of their personal feelings.
Look here 90% of the policeman beat them woman from the highest in rank right down to the constable in the Belize police force thats nothing strange . So if they can’t help themselves how in the world are they going to help others .
Delvith Sr. says:
What a ……ing damn shame of the Belize Police force. They cant fight the terrible crimes that is happening in Belize but they fight and injure innocent citizens. Protect our citizens and the many tourists that visit Belize……………..Horrible incident like these need to be expose and will be expose in the international media and especially the tourist magazines and websites. The officials need to come forth and applogize and direct their officers to fight the increasing crimes in Belize. Watch for Belize Police brutality to be expose in the media and the tourists website…………..stay tune.
I can’t believe these things. I no longer have faith in the police department. If something is to happen to me they are the last ones i would want to deal with. NOW a days you don’t know the difference between the “street bway” and the police. Such a small person and they were saying she beat they? They just plain chancy. KEEP THE FAITH TANNY. you will see justice because all of BELIZE is supporting you. ONE LOVE.