$10,000 in bail offered for gun charge
Michael Herrera
But back to the bail applications that were actually heard by Justice Dennis Hanomansingh in the Supreme Court today. At least ten were successful, three will continue next week and the other applicants had their charges withdrawn. One of the major issues was the bail application for Michael Herrera, his mother Nurse Judith Rocke and Shane Crawford, who were jointly charged for keeping an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. Rocke’s house was searched after her son Gion Bernard was arrested for allegedly shooting Jermaine “Horse” Garnett on Freetown Road on April twenty-fourth. A Sigsauer brand nine millimeter pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition was reportedly found on a table inside the house. Rocke and Crawford were granted bail of five thousand dollars each but the Director of Public Prosecution’s representative, Kaysia Grant, objected to bail for Herrera because there is a stronger case against him than the others. Grant told the court that a prima facie case had been established against Herrera, who was at the house when the gun was discovered. She noted that he also has seven previous convictions dating back as far as 1988. Herrera’s attorney, Kareem Musa, however, submitted that if four persons are being charged, bail should not be denied to only one. He also asked why the charges against the other three accused persons are not withdrawn if the prosecution is convinced that Herrera was in possession of the gun. In the end, Justice Hanomansingh felt that Herrera was singled out without sufficient reason. He said that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander and granted Herrera bail of ten thousand dollars.
Justice is not only blind, but mindless. Bail is supposed to consider if the defendant is likely to run from the court, and if he is a danger to the community. ANY person off the street can figure that a person like Herrera with a long record of arrest is a danger to the community! Especially when he was the person there where the gun was.
This ruling vexes me and puts us all at risk. Will Herrera hurt someone while free on this ridiculous bail? If he does, the judge will have to answer to that new victim.
Agreed with you storm, these bails to people with those records and even with evidence of this caliber are now so insane to be seen, where are the ballistics and the intelligence of the justice system, is there any in Belize??????? come on judges is time to all of UNU jobs.!!!! and when figures like this end up killed the society cries because the chain of violence keeps adding to the poor country of Belize. Shame on the system. Another sad day for the jewel.