3 badly beaten and 1 threatened at gunpoint in alleged police brutality
There is another allegation of excessive use of force by cops in San Pedro and tonight, there is an ongoing investigation of two police officers, including a woman police constable, for an allegation of brutality. Four residents of La Isla Bonita were assaulted by the rogue cops: one was threatened at gunpoint while the three others, including two women, were brutally beaten after midnight on Sunday. The incident was witnessed by a number of persons who provide vivid details of excessive force used by the cops who are said to have been intoxicated. But the tables have been turned on the victims and instead they have been charged. News Five’s Delahnie Bain reports.
Delahnie Bain, Reporting
Two San Pedro Police Officers are under investigation following an incident early on Monday morning in which four persons were allegedly brutalized. It all started at Tackle Box Bar and Grill where Ricky Jurado and his fiancé, Janina Graniel, encountered PC Mark Young, WPC Sherifa Young and a third person identified by police only as Mr. Belisle; all of whom were reportedly under the influence of alcohol.
Ricky Jurado
Ricky Jurado, Alleges Police Brutality
“Me and my fiancé were coming back from the bathroom, one of the police officers—not Mr. Young, the other one—grabbed her from her hips. So I kinda confront him and tell him what’s happening with you. So from there they walked out and I told everybody let’s just go. So when we come out of Tackle Box they were like waiting for us right in the middle of the bridge and they started the altercation. That was when Mr. Young—both of them were under the influence of alcohol—just took out his gun, grab my neck and put his gun in my mouth. He threatened that he would kill me if I even move and I guess the other officer; the female officer was involved. She was shouting shoot that Spanish.”
Jurado says he did not put up a fight, but the assault continued and he was detained after his fiancé was beaten by WPC Young. The incident further escalated when a friend, Vianney Perez and her boyfriend, Elder Maurico, got involved.
Ricky Jurado
“All I did was put up my hands, stood still. My fiancé was the one that asked officer why are you doing this and that’s when the female officer assaulted her and started beating. It was two of them with my girl there and that’s when I tried to move away from the officer. But he chocked me and I almost passed out. When he saw I was falling, that’s when he moved his hand from me and still put his gun at my head and walked me down the bridge.”
Voice of: Vianney Perez, Alleges Police Brutality
“As we were making our through Barrier Reef Drive going North, we saw that one of my friends was being arrested but the person who was arresting him did not have on police uniform. So I asked him what happened and he said not to worry because he didn’t do anything and he should come out soon. So we decided to follow him because we know how police like to chance people in San Pedro. So as we were making our way—because the police car was more north—so as we were walking the police had a gun pointed at him. So my boyfriend was taking pictures of that but as they notice that he was taking the pictures then went after him.”
Perez and Mauricio were also beaten with a baton, allegedly by WPC Young.
Voice of: Vianney Perez
“He tried to give me the camera because when I saw that I said what’s going on? Why are you now going after him? And when he tried to give me the camera the police took it and one of the women—she said she is police but as I said they were not wearing uniform—so she hit me in the head with some kind of stick. And then from there as a defensive reaction I went on top of her and we struggled, fell to the ground and from there I just started feeling the hits in my head.”
Delahnie Bain
“Was your boyfriend beaten also?”
Voice of: Vianney Perez
“Well, when he saw that he tried to come and defend me and I don’t know what happened to him to be tell you the truth because I was on the ground. He was not really badly injured because I think they were just trying to resist him from coming to help me. But he is like scratched up and beaten with, I think it’s the baton. He was beaten with that and all his injuries are in his back and he does have like a big scratch in his head. Not deep, but it’s long.”
But Perez’ injuries were much more severe and she had to seek medical attention after the incident.
Voice of: Vianney Perez
“At first, I just felt really numb and when they decided to leave me, I don’t know how but I got up and I felt the blood coming from my ear, my nose. I had no idea how I looked visually but I did see blood on my shirt. But after that I did feel pulses in my head. It was all swelled up and then I had stitches on the left side. Then I have—they didn’t put stitches here [on the right] because it’s deep, but it’s not big. And since it wasn’t stitched up, it bled all night. And then the stitches here on my forehead and my eye was swollen up that I couldn’t open it. Yesterday when I woke up, it was better but still messed up as you can see.”
The brutal attack on the two couples was witnessed by many, who corroborate their report that the use of force is unjustifiable.
Voice of: Witness #1
“We had been dancing at Tackle Box and we walked out and there was a big scuffle going on. I saw a friend of ours, someone had him up against a wall with his hands in the air like this and a big black woman was beating him with a stick on the face and body. I took out my camera to video it and when I looked up, his girlfriend was totally bloody.”
Delahnie Bain
“So he was completely submissive?”
Voice of: Witness #1
“Totally submissive, he had his hands up in the air and he did not even bring his hands down when she was beating him. I couldn’t even believe it.”
Voice of: Witness #2
“This lady, she was drunk; Sherifa Young.”
Delahnie Bain
“That’s the officer?”
Voice of: Witness #2
“Yeah, she was drunk and she started harassing my buddies. She put a gun to the guys head and just started an argument so people started talking out.”
After the incident, Perez went to give her report but had to go to the hospital. When she returned to finish the statement, she was surprised with charges of Assaulting a Police Officer, Obstruction and Wounding of WPC Young. But Perez says she also plans to press charges against the officer.
Voice of: Vianney Perez
“I feel really bad because we’re here; the police are supposed to be there to protect us, not to harm us. How can you trust them? With this happening, nobody is going to be able to trust them and things are just gonna get worst.”
Delahnie Bain
“What do you want to come out of this incident?”
Voice of: Vianney Perez
“Well, as I said in my statement, I want to press charges because today it’s me, tomorrow who is it going to be? So I think it’s my right and my obligation as a citizen to file a report against them and press charges.”
Ricky Jurado
“I agree with her too because the way—she was the one that got mostly hurt and she’s getting the worst charges out of all of this. They’re even charging her for wounding. Yeah, I’ll back her up and I want to press charges also. Because I don’t think it’s fair for them to do this and every time, it’s assaulting an officer. They do this to many people.”
San Pedro Police have confirmed that an internal investigation has been launched, but the accused officers remain on active duty. Delahnie Bain for News Five.
Jurado and Mauricio were also charged with Assaulting a Police Officer and Obstruction; both men as well as Perez were released on bail. Meanwhile, a doctor has classified Perez’ injuries as wounding.
These damn cops need to be dealt with… The government need to enforce.stricter rules when it comes to theses our off control cops.
I have been telling you that this gov. Are all prejudice they hate Spanish people this best thing for San Pedro to do is becoming an independent state get your own police from San pedranos do not pay any taxes to this prejudice gov. And pm que se vayan a la !@#$%^&* este gobierno.
The problem is that a Belize cop gets paid very little, so the quality of people that apply to be cops reflexes that. They are untrained and allowed to run wild. It is a pity that nothing will be done about this and that the couple that was beaten will go to jail! It is the Belize way!
how come they (police) are drunk? kick her black bums out of San Pedro, what angers more is that they are still on active duty. Damn!!!
Bet cause I said black some will get angry but when they call us spanish no hard feeling I’m not offended. Really black officers seem to be more un polite to other races in general no doubt.
best thing to do join the police force so you can take revenge since being in the same bag nothing happens if you do something to a police officer.
That is the reason no one ever get convicted of murder and the police are ALWAYS looking for details and could NEVER find any. They are way beyond CORRUPT! If i should hear cops start getting killed again i would not say a thing! Some of them will deserve it!
But people were up in arms last two weeks when Minister Heredia asked for the removal of an officer!
Maybe he say he behavior and knew it was unacceptable!
I don’t know the details but no one deserves to be treated like that!
I like see da brown skin witness too 🙂
Maybe with numerous witnesses, this case will become a tipping point, and the dirty cops will end up in jail. If the citizen reports are true, the police should end up in prison — doubly so because they abused the life-and-death power that they were entrusted with by GOB.
If you don’t have good police, you cannot have effective law enforcement, because nobody will trust them. when law-abiding Belizeans think the police are criminals, you have a failed system.
Will you do something about this problem, John Saldivar? It seems San Pedro and Punta Gorda have especially bad problems with criminals wearing police uniforms.
As for me, I have advised visiting friends to avoid La Isla Bonita for about 5 years because it has gotten to be out of control and dangerous.
@Lydz
i totally agree with u
THOSE POLICE ARE SOME !@#$%^&
it is very sad how these irresponsible and shameless people would do such a thing. they arent police, they are some lawless ungreatful violent wana be cops! its not just about getting the title you cops!! its about living up to the name. i sincerely dont look at cops with respect or as people of authority. i honestly feel sorry for them. they are so low and disgraceful! may God forgive your souls and mine for offending you but its the TRUTH!!!!
See these are the thing, those couple will be charge even thou it wasn’t there fault and that truly there are the victims. Thats why i say to take maters into your own hands because they will not do anything about it, these officers will continue to be on duty and will continue picking on innocent people when they are drunk. So the best thing to do is get someone to kill them, Melchor has assasin, since they know they are black and races, they would do it for very cheap. Belize gov is so corrupt u have to do that to get justice. and i sure hope one of the officers or all are reading these comments. F**&# with me thats how i’ll deal with them!!! they could beat me up but that wont be nothing compare for what i will do to them after words…
In a a failed state such as Belize, the police can do as they please…harass the innocent and get away with murder. I guess the people have to fight back….it is a dangerous direction we are headed but it looks like the only option available. Well Heredia…get on the phone and start trasferring…..
We need to trow a ……. in that police station, form the black lady in charge, the other day because of expressing my opinion, I was told, “you want I shoot you noh, caz nobody wah miss you.” her exact word. People will not respect you if you don’t give that to people. Lord man leave San Pedro alone. You should protect us the most as we are the community that run this entire country. BARROW get you ball head out of you @$$. Wake up mista man, pray that someday your turn come.
We Belizean citizens feel as if our hands are tied down and cant do anything when we listen to these abusive incidents of the men and women in uniform. Something need to be done, the abuse of policemen got to stop and start believing that victims are not always the criminals!
these mada !@#$%^ cops need to be in !@#$%^ jall they think becuz they have on uniforms they are better than other.. Dean Borrow you need to !@#$%^ man up and do something about thins !@$$…. Just reading this !@#$ and it makes me damn mad,,,, and that black monkey lady should be in the zoo or jail….. Im not racist but this kinda !@#$ makes me furious…….
oh my this is so terrible and so wrong!! wat is the gov nd pm doing to us??? are they protecting us or making things worst?
I dont know whats the problem with police nowadays. the whole system needs to be clean out. but listen time is longer than roap.
can anyone snap a pic of the black scum wanna be cop and put it on fb make it viral so we all know who she is and her accomplice in this atrocity.
Where were these Police Officers when Mcafee was on the run.All of a sudden they’re big and bad.Talk about abusing Belizean Citizens they’re good at that but can’t do !@#$ when the foreigners disrespect this @.
Where is manny heredia, OH! wait these folks are not white or tourist, so he doesn’t give a !@#$ about them.
Join a gang and do crime.
If you get caught you get an all expenses paid scholarship at Hattieville’s Prison University, and back to the gang after graduation for a short life long job with them.
If you do not get caught you get promoted by joining the police.
And for the very best, GSU or a minister body guard.
Top shelf get openings with Mexican/Columbian drug cartels or Hezbollah.
Much more of this will happen because the PM give the police the right to do what ever they want to.
They forget that they are Belizeans too and there day will come.
Talk about police brutaltiy. Let the government remember when he gave orders to shoot at civilian producttve canefarmers at the BSI strike some years aback. This is typical of the administration to intimidate all Belizeans. The orders are to murder our very productive sector with no regards then they come and speak about loyalty and human rights. Let them know we are watching their every move.
This is exactly the type of behavior that McAfee was talking about……. @ NoNo .. I totally agree with you and I would do the same.
I believe we could do a better job of law enforcement with half as many GOOD police officers, so let’s fire half the force — the worst of the worst — and DOUBLE THE PAY of the remaining good ones.
Then let’s invest whatever it takes to get top-notch training, maybe from the US or Brits, for our well-paid officers. There is a lot of international money available for first-world police training, but we need a credible program to ask for it.
As for the bad officers we have now, they should have their uniforms stripped publicly, and then hauled off to jail as the criminals they are.
This is really sad that the people that are the one’s that is payed to protect us is the ones that is hurting the innocent people, I do understand that people have bad days and maybe the officers had a bad day and just wanted to beat someone, I always have those type of days but hey when I do i find people that are doing wrong and then I use that as a way to justify beating someone. use uno head babylon and beat the thief, rapist and bad man out a road
Start killing them.
Give some people authorization (e.g a Police badge and number) and the power goes straight to their head.
Police force really needs to begin screening with close supervision of their staff.
Getting out of hand now, especially with Christmas here already. There was a time that it was fear of criminals ramping up their activities for extra christmas pocket money…..now it is fear of the police!
Junior Marvin (I think) said it right – “Police and thieves in the street….scaring the nation with their guns and ammunition”.
What is worse – the thieves or the police? Sadly, I cant answer that question myself!
WTF is wrong when our own officers, the people WE pay to protect us from the huge violence wave hitting our country then turn around with and show us VIOLENCE! and it seems also some racist remarks! excellent now we have great examples. well done….
NOW you know why McAfee had to run.
Remember . . . years ago Minister Heredia said that Black People should be banned from San Pedro and everyone got mad at him.
Now you know why.
Let me ak a question, is there any moral clause that police officers are expected to follow. These officers are a bunch of alcoholics. If this thing happened the way the witnesses says it did, these two should be on suspension, and terminated if infact these people were threathened with a gun. This is worse than the lawless west, where is the government and the chief of police on all this crazyness.
Prime Minister the situation is getting worse, and it is all due to the poor leadership. A country is only as strong as those who are leading, your leader ship floats in the canal.
Public Relations trainings are highly recommended to all GOB workers. These ppl are in a terrible shape in handling the public. I just witnessed a horrible behaviour with a spanish lady by the security guard at Bmp immigration. I wonder why so much hatred among belizeans, because the lady is a spanish belizean and the guard is a fair skin belizean guy.
High profile ppl of this country, plz educate and sensitize your employees on their rude manners towards the citizen of everywhere. All of us are humans, why would you judge someone by its looks.? Yes, I have sense it several times, personally I only look wealthy but in reality I am not rich and due to my looks I have has some prevelages at times. Lets be more humane.
Let’s hear from our Minister of National Security and the Commissioner of Police — what do they think of violent criminals wearing police uniforms, particularly these jerks in San Pedro and the murderer in Punta Gorda?
WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO DO ABOUT THESE ATROCITIES?
Not all cops are the same. dont punish the good ones for what the bad ones do. some of them take their jobs seriously and do it with pride. it has nothing to do with color or race. Bad is done by any race. just as they have black rogue cops so do they have of other races. Look at the incident that happend years ago in Caye caulker with the guy that lost his spleen. the cops that did that to him were spanish. then someone came with a comment to throw a bomb in the station, what will that solve? You will live with the picture in your mind that somewhere you have left children parentless just because you were angry with certain cops at the San Pedro Police station so you decided to take God’s job of judgement into your own hands and kill who ever you please. Not all cops are bad. punish the ones that deserve it yes, but judgement is not your job.
Our laws in Belize are sooo !@***d up that many of us have to take our safety in our own hands. Some officers do a good job others are just “HUSTLERS” trying to make a living out of the innocent in our island. Government needs to spend more money on Police training and education instead of wasting tax payers money on their luxury cars… My point of view…
well i’m the officer that everyone has been talking about. All i have to say is when allegations are made against a police officer they are automatically convicted before any investigation has been launched, and it is a known fact for everyone in our community. Well the time is coming, where the truth will be revealed behind everything, and then will see what you. The only reason why i was immediately placed on interdiction was because of politics and racism, and no one can argue that with me; however i am not saying all of us are good, but i will say ” give the devil what he is due” all alleged victims namely Elder Mauricio and Viannie Perez you bout know that, what u are telling the media is false acquisations, dont think that is a offence….. no grudges is being hold! Only ” justice” will be served!