Vitalino Reyes Junior shows signs of recovery; Leon Gentle charged for his attack
Leon Gentle
There is positive development in the condition of twenty-three year old Vitalino Reyes Junior. After four days in a coma, Reyes Junior today showed signs of recovery. According to his father, who remains at his bedside at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, Reyes Junior tried to respond by opened his eyes and will remain under observation for the next twenty-four hours. Reyes Senior also told News Five this evening that they are expecting the results of an x-ray to determine damage caused to the brain. Reyes Junior was the victim of a vicious attack last Thursday evening while socializing at Long Island Bar in Belize City. The son of well-known tour operator was reportedly having a few drinks with a colleague at the establishment when they were both assaulted by someone believed to be an employee of Yhony Rosado. Both Reyes Senior and Rosado share a history of enmity which has landed them before the court. While they were subsequently bound to keep the peace, the rivalry between the two parties continues. For his part, Rosado, proprietor of Cave-tubing.com, has refuted all allegations of his involvement in the incident. His employee, on the other hand, has been charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm upon the injured tour guide. This morning, thirty year old Leon Gentle appeared before Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser, in the company of attorney Audrey Matura-Shepherd, where he was arraigned on two counts. Gentle, who resides on Banak Street, had been in police custody since Monday and claims that he was physically abused by police officers.
Reporter
Vitalino Reyes Jr.
“How long did they beat you for, in the absence of your attorney?”
Leon Gentle, Charged with Use of Deadly Means of Harm
“Bout two to three hours harassment and dragging ‘bout and always coming into my cell, always di harass me… as my attorney left they had already come out telling me that they wanted to see me, they tell me that my food came from my mother and when I reached at the front they dragged me out of the door and started choking me and all those stuff and I tried to file a complaint and no one wanted to listen to me.”
Audrey Matura-Shepherd
Audrey Matura-Shepherd, Attorney for Leon Gentle
“Leon was told that police had gone to his mother’s house looking for him. So on Saturday he called y the police station in Belama, told them that he would go in and find out what they want. When he went there they detained him and all that time I didn’t know they had detained him. I found out on Monday, yesterday when he was being forced to do an ID parade. I told the police that no, he would not do an ID parade simply because Leon was not at the location. I was present when the police was interviewing all the other guys from Butts Up about who was at the location. They asked them specifically, “Was Leon there?” No, he wasn’t there. Leon brought his alibi witness, police had refused to even take a statement. They were upset yesterday when we insisted you have to take a statement. I keep on saying, if police are investigating, if they are even lying, you need to take that statement and investigate it and then it seems that just when I finish giving advice to my client yesterday they decided that they would force him into an ID parade and they dragged him out of the cell. That is why his clothes are all torn and they tried to choke him and then they dragged him out in the open, in the yard so that these alleged witnesses would then go and give a statement. What’s amazing is that one of the alleged witnesses was not even at the location. Yesterday, after searching around from police station to police station for over an hour, I was finally able to locate him and when I did [that’s when] I saw that his clothes were torn and that’s not how he was earlier. And I also, he informed me what was done to him, he was dragged out of the cell, who did it, how he was beaten, pushed and stamped on and so the officer in charge I told him that I wanted a medico-legal form for my client. They took him to the hospital and his injuries have been classified as harm.”
Gentle is due back in court on July twenty-fourth.
This is a typical example of how the Police carry out their investigations. If they cannot legally gather information on a regular bar room fight, then it stands to reason why the successful prosecution of murder cases stands at about 3%.
ok this is all intresting…so they are “trying” to find the attacker but wasn’t the testimony/statement of Vitalino Jr’s colleague suffiecient enough. The youngman clearly ID’d their attackers and all who were present and for some odd reason they are charging someone who “wasn’t” present at the time of the attack? Sounds like someone has some really deep pockets and either the police are in it or these workers of Rosado. Intimidation at its best, its so sad that the legal system cannot serve it purpose.
The police do not have the faintest clue on how to conduct a criminal investigation. Most of the officers barely have high school educations and operate without proper supervision and with no fear of accountability. In order to get the PD back on track we must bring in outside expertise and start completely over.
what I don’t understand is how can a person be charge for dangerous harm or deadly means of harm and release on bail for $7,00.00, whiles the other person is in the hospital fighting for his life, shouldn’t he be charge with attempt murder?
Shut you big mouth Audry what if the victim was your brother? Stupid B$&@
I wonder if Audry have a issue with the police department because its like she is always trying to blame everything on the police dont get me wrong I know the police are a bunch of bubu but Audry you surprise me look at the people you represent now all for the love of money so dont try to pretend its human rights. I use to have respect for you and look up to you but all went flying out the door.
You’re starting to disgust me Audrey. I’m losing any semblance of a respect for you. Sir, with that type of hit, please tell me that they did a CT scan or an MRI on your son. A regular X-Ray will show absolutely nothing!