In the Supreme Court today, two men were found guilty of manslaughter in the death of fruit vendor Ernest Rhaburn in 1997. A jury of 7 women and 2 men found Darrel Mayor and Kelvin Reneau guilty after four hours of deliberation this afternoon. Acting Chief Justice Troadio Gonzalez will not pronounce sentence until Monday […]
In court news, the Court of Appeal has upheld an order that Atlantic Insurance pay 65 thousand dollars to policy holder Stephen Smith whose thatched house burned down in 1996. The house, which was five hundred yards from the Jaguar Reef Lodge, is believed to have caught fire when sparks from a bush fire ignited […]
The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by Raymond Flowers who was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 18 years imprisonment for the death of prison inmate Marcus Melendez in March of 1997. Flowers was accused of assisting Julian Bush suffocate and then hang Melendez with a sheet in their joint prison cell. Bush […]
In court news, the Court of Appeal has also upheld the death sentence of Norman Shaw who was convicted of the murder of Fitzgerald Mantock and Rudolph Bermudez in Dangriga in July, 1996 during a drug deal. Shaw had maintained that he had acted in self-defense when he shot Mantock but evidence presented in court […]
The Court of Appeal today upheld the conviction and death sentence of Cleon “Tush” Smith after they dismissed the appeal filed by his attorney Simeon Sampson. Smith was convicted of shooting Ainsworth “Pie” Wagner on July 27th, 1996 on Mayflower Street. Witnesses testified that Smith got off his bike, had an argument with Wagner and […]
It might have been a stunning revelation of facts that could have set a doomed man free, but today Jason Clarke’s contradictory and inconsistent testimony probably didn’t do much to help convicted murderer Wilfred Lauriano. Clarke, an inmate of the Hattieville Prison, was allowed to take the witness stand after the Privy Council accepted an […]
Manuel Sosa was sworn in as a judge of the Court of Appeal this afternoon at the Belize House in Belmopan. Sosa had been appointed Chief Justice by the Esquivel administration just days before the August election. The Supreme Court, however, ruled earlier this year that the Leader of the Opposition, Said Musa, had not […]
A youth accused of shooting a sixteen year old girl in September of 1998 pleaded guilty to the use of deadly means of harm and was fined and ordered to pay the victim a settlement today in the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Troadio Gonzalez ordered 17 year old Kenrick Nuñez to pay five thousand dollars […]
There are indications tonight that a settlement is in the works over the controversy surrounding the appointment and disappointment of former Chief Justice Manuel Sosa. Reliable sources tell News Five that Sosa will shortly be nominated as a Judge on the Belize Court of Appeal. At the same time his appeal to that very court, […]
Wilfred Lauriano was convicted of the murder of Diego Tzul at the Farmer’s Market in 1993 and sentenced to death, but several years later, in a move right out of the most popular detective novels, attorney Kirk Anderson made a dramatic appeal to the Privy Council saying new evidence had come to light indicating that […]
Frustration over the number of cases that are thrown out of court and the criminals who are getting away because their case was inadequately prepared by the police prosecutors has lead the judicial commission to beef up the prosecutions branch. This week a training session is being held to help the new civilian prosecutors effectively […]
Justice George Meerabux has agreed to allow another Justice to hear Rhett Fuller’s application to the Supreme Court. Justice Meerabux conveyed his decision to “recuse” himself from the case today to defense attorney Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay but said he will give his reasons in writing at a later date. Another Justice has not yet […]
Charges of indecent assault were dismissed against forty year old Mike Williams who was accused of fondling a twelve year old girl in January. Williams’ attorney Kirk Anderson tells News Five Magistrate Dorothy Flowers upheld their “no case” submission this morning in Magistrate’s Court. The girl had reported to police that Williams reached over and […]
The attorney for Rhett Fuller Eamon Courtenay this morning made an application to Justice George Meerabux that he “recuse” himself from hearing their application of Habeas Corpus. In layman’s terms, Senior Counsel Courtenay and attorney Kirk Anderson are asking that another judge hear their Supreme Court application for Fuller’s right to come before the court […]
Although efforts continue to find suitably qualified people to fill two vacancies on the Supreme Court, today the Solicitor General Gian Ghandi announced that two Belizeans have been appointed as acting justices to assist with the April Criminal Session. They are retired Chief Justice Sir George Brown and Senior Counsel Wilfred Elrington. The Solicitor General […]
Rhett Fuller’s attorneys have taken their client’s cause to the Supreme Court, but today they asked Justice George Meerabux not to hear their application for a writ of Habeas Corpus, or the right to bring their client before the court to determine if his detention is lawful. Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay and attorney Kirk Anderson […]
The Bar Association of Belize has rejected a proposed resolution which would have condemned as improper the way in which the plaintiff James Jan Mohammed obtained an order by Justice George Meerabux which declared the appointment of Chief Justice Manuel Sosa to be unconstitutional. The resolution was rejected by a majority of the members present […]
The controversy surrounding the judiciary continues to expand. Today Leader of the Opposition, Dean Barrow, following the lead set by the Bar Association last week, filed a formal complaint with Governor General Sir Colville Young requesting the removal of Justice George Meerabux. Barrow charges that Meerabux heard the civil action which ousted Chief Justice Manuel […]
Chief Magistrate Herbert Lord has ruled that there is sufficient evidence for Rhett Fuller to be extradited to the U.S.A. Fuller was taken into police custody in October following a request from the U.S. that he be turned over to face charges of first degree murder in connection with the 1990 killing of Florida resident […]
Defense attorney Kirk Anderson says he is concerned that hearsay evidence is being considered by the U.S. as sufficient cause to request Fuller’s extradition. Kirk Anderson, Defense Attorney “One of the things that the Magistrate relied on in the course of rendering his judgement was that according to him my client never protested and told […]
The ongoing crisis in Belize’s judiciary system seems to grow more bizarre with each passing day. Last night at its annual general meeting it was the Bar Association’s turn to pour gasoline on the fires of controversy. In two resolutions a majority of Belize’s lawyers asked the government to request the resignations of a pair […]
Despite continuing controversy over the removal of Manuel Sosa as Chief Justice last week, today Justice Troadio Gonzalez was sworn in as Acting Chief Justice in Belmopan. The Governor General Sir Colville Young administered the oath of office at Belize House. Gonzalez has been a Supreme Court Judge since 1993. He studied law at the […]
The Prime Minister has commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling that the appointment of Manuel Sosa as Chief Justice was unconstitutional. Prime Minister Said Musa says that the decision to have a private citizen challenge the appointment to the Supreme Court was a private initiative but the government agrees with the court’s ruling. The P.M. […]
Manuel Sosa may have been removed as the Chief Justice yesterday, but the government has lost no time in appointing someone to act in this capacity. The Solicitor General Gian Ghandi told News Five that effective Monday February twenty second, Justice Troadio Gonzalez will be acting Chief Justice and that the Prime Minister has duly […]
It has been a sorepoint for the People’s United Party from the day the appointment was made in the closing days of the Esquivel administration. Today the P.U.P. government got its way in the form of a ruling from Justice George Meerabux that the August twenty-sixth appointment of Manuel Sosa as Chief Justice was unconstitutional. […]
