… While convicted cop gets new trial

A former police constable who was serving ten years for manslaughter is out on bail tonight after the Court of Appeal ordered he be retried for the crime. Burton Caliz was convicted of manslaughter for the February 2004 shooting death of Leroy “Dan” Pilgrim in San Pedro Town. But according to the judges in the court of appeal, the jury that convicted him never specified whether he was guilty of Manslaughter or Manslaughter by Negligence. Caliz’ attorney, Leo Bradley Junior immediately applied to the court for bail, which was granted in the sum of eight thousand dollars. Pilgrim, a fisherman, died four years ago this February. At the time, the cops’ version of events was that they attempted to search Pilgrim near a lagoon but a struggle ensued between Caliz and Pilgrim. The police maintained that the two men slipped and fell into the water, during which the gun went off, fatally wounding Pilgrim. No date for the new trial has been set.