In news from the courts, the notorious Mark Seawell, who has been in prison since February, 2007 and is still awaiting the outcome of an extradition request made by the U.S. government, may soon be out on bail. At the extradition hearing this morning in Magistrates Court, Elson Kaseke, Seawell’s attorney, submitted that there is […]
While Mark Seawell may be on his way out, a sixteen year old boy is spending the first of many nights on remand after he was charged today in the Belize Family Court with the shooting of twenty-nine year old Richard Flowers. The youth, a resident of Western Avenue, faces charges of Attempted Murder, Dangerous […]
At yesterday’s sitting of the Senate, sixty-six year old Supreme Court Judge John Troadio Gonzalez was reappointed to the bench for a one year term. Gonzalez retired earlier this year but with a voluminous calendar of overdue criminal and civil case files, he was brought out of retirement. His appointment is retroactive to September first […]
In other news from the courts, three men walked down the steps of the Supreme Court free of charges of Murder earlier today. The reason, the chief witness could not be located to give testimony in the trial, making it the eighth case this month that the prosecution has been unable to proceed with. The […]
Another murder case fell through for the prosecution today in the Supreme Court due to insufficient evidence. This time it is twenty-two year old Denvo Banner, charged with the murder of twenty-eight year old Demsley Arnold, who was gunned down on February sixteenth, 2007 in Belize City. The shooting took place around three-fifteen p.m. at […]
In more news from the courts, a U.S. national resident of Burrell Boom will spend the end of year holidays behind bars. Twenty-eight year old Brian Tillett was today charged with the Unlawful Carnal Knowledge of a thirteen year old minor. Magistrate Tracy Sosa informed Tillett in court that no plea will be taken because […]
Michael Gladden, who appeared in court on Monday for Attempted Murder, was back in Court today, this time for the robbery of another taxi driver, sixty three year old Hipolito Fernandez that occurred around eight-thirty on Friday November fourteenth, 2008. Gladden pleaded not guilty to the charge and will re-appear in court on December seventeenth. […]
Two convictions were secured in court; in the first case, a fifty-one year old man was today sentenced to a year and five months in prison. On October third, Alrick “Mente” Reneau pleaded guilty to Theft and was fined five hundred dollars. But today when Reneau reappeared in court for an unrelated charge of Theft, […]
In the other case, in court today thirty-three year old Charles Bradley pleaded guilty and was sent to prison. The fisherman was busted by police on Thursday with a nine millimetre pistol and this afternoon Bradley pleaded guilty to Keeping a Firearm and Ammunition without a License. Chief Magistrate Margaret McKenzie sentenced him to two […]
And in the Supreme Court, the case against Lionel Castillo, known as the Ombudsboy, finally came before Justice Herbert Lord today and Castillo walked free when Director of Public Prosecutions Cheryl-Lynn Banker-Taitt filed a nolle prosequi indicating that the prosecution was unable to proceed. Castillo was facing a charge of Agreement to Influence an Officer […]
And in the lower court, tonight a Mahogany Height resident is in prison, accused of the carnal knowledge of a female child. Forty year old Ian Blake appeared in Magistrates’ Court this morning to answer to the charge of Unlawful Carnal Knowledge against a thirteen year old girl, which occurred on Sunday. He was remanded […]
Also in the Magistrates’ Court, a dispute over twenty-five cents has landed a businessman in jail. The incident in question occurred around six p.m. on Monday when seventeen year old Jason Lamb went to purchase Boledo at Kim’s #1. Lamb says he paid for his numbers and was supposed to receive twenty-five cents change and […]
And in another case in the Supreme Court, one more witness refused to testify at a murder trial, and the accused also walked free. Twenty- five year old Alburn Plunkett, who was charged with the 2006 murder of Cassius Myers, was freed of the charge today in the court of Justice Adolph Lucas when crown […]
And in court, Magistrate Ed Usher today withdrew charges for the recovery of business tax that were made by the Commissioner of Income tax against Belize Telemedia Ltd, Business Enterprise System and B.T.L. Digicell Limited. The charges were placed in August by the Income Tax Department ordering the utility company to pay one million seventy-one […]
In the Supreme Court, a married man and father of two, who was found guilty of Carnal Knowledge last week, will spend six years behind bars for the crime. Forty-one year old Leroy Stevens received the sentence today in the Court of Justice Adolph Lucas. Before passing the sentence Justice Lucas heard a plea of […]
Also in the Supreme Court this morning, nineteen year old Alex “Lexus,” Underwood was freed of a charge of the attempted murder of a fourteen year old minor. Lexus was discharged by Justice Adolph Lucas because the prosecution was not ready to proceed. The prosecution, represented by Crown Counsel Nadine Palacio, requested an adjournment but […]
Last year he was charged with the robbery of former prison superintendent turned security consultant, Bernard Adolphus and today Richard Russell was back in court, this time for rape. A sixteen year old female says that on September fifth, around six p.m., twenty-seven year old Richard Russell abducted her in front of Li Chee on […]
The Maya Leaders Alliance and the government were back in court this morning. This time the Mayans are asking the Supreme Court to create a mechanism, legislative or otherwise, that will cement a ruling it had previously made in favour of the Mayas confirming communal rights to the land they occupy in Conejo and Santa […]
Also in the Supreme Court, a jury of six women and three men took two hours and fifteen minutes before it found forty-one year old Leroy Stevens guilty of Carnal Knowledge. Stevens, a former assistant supervisor of Belize Water Services Limited, will wait until November seventeenth to know his fate. Justice Adolph Lucas set the […]
A nineteen year old man has been found guilty of Attempted Suppression of Evidence. Because Michael Foreman had no previous convictions, Magistrate Tracy Sosa showed him mercy today in Magistrates’ Court and Foreman was fined seven hundred dollars instead of serving a two year sentence. Magistrate Sosa gave him until December twelfth to pay the […]
Taser guns may be the preferred choice to restrain violent persons, but the legal system will deal with a couple who left two kids alone at home. Forty-seven year old Willard Leslie and thirty-one year old Kimberly Alford, a common-law couple of Vista Del Mar, Ladyville, appeared today in Magistrates’ Court where they were charged […]
Also in the Magistrates’ Court, twenty-two year old, Jarrett Crawford was sentenced to two and a half years imprisonment for firearm and ammunition offences and the aggravated assault of Police Corporal Gavin Sanchez. Today, Crawford changed his plea from not guilty to guilty when his trial resurfaced in Magistrates’ Court. Although he asked for leniency, […]
At news time, a jury has been unable to reach a verdict after deliberating twice in one day in the sensational murder trial of Keon “Duppy” Myvette. The jury in this trial comprises six women and six men who were locked up for four hours in the first instance and then an hour and twenty […]
A U.S. national who was preparing to leave the country was picked up at the Phillip Goldson International Airport this afternoon, as he was about to board a flight to Houston, Texas. Businessman Christopher Hysinger, hours before was freed of five charges, among them Manslaughter by Negligence. When he was taken back to court Magistrate […]
And in the Magistrates’ Court in Dangriga, Percival Jones Lewis, who was wanted for the double murder of Chinese nationals, Liping Zhen and Yue Lian Liu, and Aggravated Burglary, was arraigned today. Last Friday, he was arrested and transported to the Dangriga Police Station. And tonight the eighteen year old Lewis of Sawaii Street was […]
