Orson Elrington to Appeal de La Rosa Prison Sentence

Ramiro de la Rosa

In court news, a case that sparked outrage in the Cayo District has caught the attention of attorney Orson Elrington. He plans to file for an appeal of a three-year prison sentence given to Ramiro de la Rosa, from Duck Run Two.   Earlier this month De la Rosa pleaded guilty to possession of an unlicensed sixteen-gauge shotgun which belonged to his deceased father.  He did not have an attorney and acted on the advice of a JP and the police in San Ignacio. Elrington told News Five that he will ask the court and Director of Public Prosecutions to review the guilty plea on the grounds it could be argued that De la Rosa was induced, pressured, and misguided into believing he would be released on bail.  Another approach would be to ask the Governor-General to grant pardon to De la Rosa.  Elrington, who is taking the case pro-bono, said the last option would be to ask the Governor-General to pardon De la Rosa under the Supreme Court of Judicature Act.  Public outcry on social media has caused two hundred residents of the Cayo District to sign a petition for the young father’s release.  Since De la Rosa’s sentence, he has reportedly experienced a series of anxiety attacks and remains hospitalized.