Accused murderer walks when witness bails

Twenty-two year old Jermaine Pascascio, charged with the murder of sixty-four year old businessman Inez “Blankie” Leal, walked out of the court of Justice Adolph Lucas a free man today after Crown Counsel Tracy Sosa entered a motion of nolle prosequi, indicating that the prosecution does not wish to proceed. The reason was that the chief witness, ex-police constable Roman Cantun, does not wish to testify. Cantun said he is no longer a police officer and he fears for himself and his family. Leal was shot and killed on September twenty-third, 2003, during a robbery at his store on Pickstock Street. Cantun, who lived on Pickstock Street at the time, had testified that he heard gunshots and when he looked he saw a person running out of Blankie’s Store. Pascascio was convicted of Leal’s murder on February ninth, 2006. He appealed and Belize’s Court of Appeal ordered a retrial. The nolle prosequi was entered when the retrial was about to begin. Pascascio was represented in court today by attorney Anthony Sylvestre Jr.