Belize District - Channel 5 Belize

No Explanation Given for 6 Prisoners Denied Parole

After six of her clients have been denied parole, Leslie Mendez is challenging the parole board. According to Mendez, she has witnessed a systematic denial of reasons given to applicants as to why their parole has been denied which raised concerns as to whether the relevant considerations are being deliberated in the decision-making process. She says that if an inmate has undertaken sufficient rehabilitation efforts and there is no longer a reason to believe that they pose a threat to the public, then they should be granted parole. Mendez maintains that these legal considerations are being overlooked.

Leslie Mendez, Attorney at Law

“Parole doesn’t mean you’re free now without any conditions. There are parole conditions. And so now you are you have some freedom, but it’s a freedom that is very much conditioned. And you are under supervision and monitored to ensure that you have a gradual, safe, free integration into society. Because ultimately, we want society to be safe, while also ensuring that we bear in mind the and the interest in rehabilitating inmates and we can’t just throw people in prison and forget them forever. That’s just not the system that we have. And the concern right now is that it doesn’t seem that is being systematically applied at the parole and we are not even able to know how decisions are being made if you’re not giving reason. I will tell you if it is that I get a file or I get an inmate whose parole was denied and there’s an obvious very recent infraction that was violent. Okay, you know why it was denied, right? And again, that infraction is a violent infraction. I don’t, it’s obviously beyond reasonable for the parole board to deny that inmate parole. So these are applications where they are not very recent infraction, at least to the knowledge, my knowledge or to the knowledge of the inmate that there are any infractions or there are anything to indicate that it’s an ongoing risk. So that’s why this is the cause for concern. Not that all inmates, once they’re parole, once they’re eligible for parole, are absolutely entitled for parole. No. But these applications are unique in the sense that from our vantage point, we’re not able to discern what is the cause for concern and because we don’t have access to that process or access to the reason, we’re not able to know what was the cause for concern on the parole boards.”

Bar Association on Leslie Mendez’s Complaint against Belize Central Prison

The role of an Attorney-at-Law in representing those who are incarcerated at the Belize Central Prison is pivotal to upholding the constitutional rights of those being represented and is crucial to ensuring the rule of law.

It is recognized that prisons, including the Belize Central Prison, uphold a visitors’ dress code primarily for security reasons and it is recognized that attorneys are not excluded from abiding by the dress code.

The Bar Association acknowledges the recent complaint of Attorney Ms. Leslie Mendez that she was disallowed access to the Belize Central Prison to meet with her incarcerated clients on account of her attire, which she says was in line with the prison’s dress code. While the Bar Association cannot take a position regarding the details of the complaint, it is important for us to state that it would be gravely concerning if the Belize Central Prison, or any of its employees, used underhanded and veiled tactics to undermine the legal rights of incarcerated prisoners, especially their right to speak with their legal representatives.

The rules of the Belize Central Prison are not to be used to humiliate legal representatives or to detract from meaningful representation of those incarcerated. The Bar Association hopes that the Belize Central Prison will properly address the complaint of Ms. Mendez so that there is no recurrence of this or any similar incidents.

(Press release)

Child Abuser Sentenced to Jail

The man charged with cruelty to a child was this morning slapped with two 12-month sentences, which are to run concurrently. In May, thirty-three-year-old Devain Flores was charged with two counts of cruelty to a child. He pleaded guilty to the charges.

The charges came after a video showing him kicking and hitting a three-year-old male child went viral on social media.

The case was prosecuted by the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams.

Earlier this month, Flores appeared in the magistrate’s court for a mitigation plea. He waived his right to call character witnesses after his mother, common-law wife, brother, and another individual failed to appear. Despite being given more time to bring his witnesses, Flores asked the Senior Magistrate to proceed with sentencing, stating he is taking full responsibility for his actions.

Despicable! Policeman Accused of Raping Woman in Detention

Tonight, a police officer is on remand at the Belize Central Prison after being accused of raping a female detainee at the Queen Street Police Station on Friday. It’s a shameful act reportedly carried out by forty-five-year-old Derwin Marin. The police constable was on duty, but had no business interacting with the woman. At some point, P.C. Marin allegedly approached her and offered to release her without charge in exchange for sex. He then proceeded to remove the woman from the holding cell and escorted her to another area of the station where he apparently had intercourse with her. In the wake of the incident, the Belize Police Department wasted no time in taking action against the rogue officer. Criminal and internal investigations are underway and the Commissioner of Police has condemned Marin’s actions. This morning, ComPol Williams appeared before the lower courts during Marin’s arraignment where he objected to bail. It is the second time within a few weeks that the top cop has donned his attorney’s cap to prosecute a matter.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“Basically I appeared in court this morning to do the arraignment for the police officer who is charged with the crime of rape which took place at the Queen Street Police Station over the weekend.”

Reporter

“You objected to bail.”

Chester Williams

“Yes, I came to object to bail because we believe that the act is such that the police officer needs to remain in prison until the matter is heard.”

Reporter

“Now, this is a fairly mundane, straightforward prosecution. Why did you feel I important to bring your office to bear on it?”

Chester Williams

“Well I guess it’s the need to show the importance of the case. Like I said before, we have been doing our best to ensure that we rid ourselves of those rogue officers who constantly do things that embarrass the department. My presence here is a strong statement that we are doing what we can to ensure that persons who are aggrieved by the actions of police that they get justice. The person who is the victim was a prisoner in police custody. The investigation revealed that the police officer solicited sex from her in exchange for her release. He subsequently took her outside of her cell block where the act took place. We have secure several statements, as well as video footages that support her allegation.”

Reporter

“Was he aware of the security cameras?”

Chester Williams

“Well he has to be aware of it, every police officer who works at that cellblock area knows that cameras are there.”

Reporter

“Yeah, but did he go to a concealed area or an area outside of view?”

Chester Williams

“Well the cameras would not have captured the act itself, but the camera did pick up when he took her out of the cell and took her to the area where the alleged rape took place.”

Was P.C. Marin Allowed to Interact with Female Detainee?

P.C. Marin was not authorized to interact with female detainees, so what was he doing that would have brought him into contact with the woman? According to the Commissioner of Police, the victim was in custody along with another woman. Marin’s sole responsibility, as cellblock keeper, was to make sure that the prisoners were attended to while in detention.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“He was just the cellblock keeper, his duty there was just to ensure that the prisoners are okay. If they needed water or anything of that sort, he provided for them, but when it comes to dealing with female prisoners, if any female prisoner needed to have been taken out of the cell, that should not have been his responsibility. That should have been done by a woman police officer. So his action in removing her from the cellblock was wrong and more so, the said that she told him she wanted a cigarette. He even went and got a cigarette for her, and the reason, according to him why she was taken from the cellblock, was to go and smoke a cigarette which, again, is utterly wrong. So we have seen a number of breakdowns in terms of our internal policies that will be addressed likewise. There was another female prisoner in the cellblock and yes, she saw what took place and she did have some concerns and whenever the shift changed and the other officers came on, she was the one who reported first to the police.”

Reporter

“How hard was it to get the victim to make a complaint? We know that maybe she is someone who has been in the cellblock before, you know, she may be intimidated by the situation.”

Chester Williams

“It was not difficult, she was forthcoming and we are very much appreciative of that and this is what we want, that whenever we do have these allegations that people can feel free to come forward so that we can address it. Oftentimes, we hear people say police this and police that, but they are never willing to come forward and give statements. To see that she was brave enough to do so, we are grateful.”

Chester Williams

“When it comes to cases involving police officers, we have to take it very seriously. We are the custodians of the law and when we have people in our care, we must ensure that we do what we can so as not to breach that trust and confidence. The actions of P.C. Marin are such that it is an egregious act of breach of trust and confidence and we must do as best as we can to demonstrate to the public that while this had occurred, that we will do our best to ensure that the officer is held to account for what he did.”

A statement issued by the Belize Police Department reads, quote, the ongoing internal investigation aims to determine whether there was any lapse in supervision or neglect of duty that may have allowed this egregious act to occur. The B.P.D. is dedicated to transparency and accountability, ensuring that justice is served and public trust is maintained, end quote.

Police Struggle to Break Up Fight that Ends with Stabbing

A Belize City resident was stabbed on Friday night and was also the victim of a vicious beat down at the hands and feet of his attacker. It happened at the intersections of Neal’s Pen Road and Central American Boulevard and despite initial attempts by three police officers who responded to the incident, they were unable to subdue the assailant. The man was able to free himself from the arresting officers and attack his victim, repeatedly kicking and punching him before other officers were called onto the scene. Fortunately, the victim survived the violent attack and is recovering. The question that lingers, nonetheless, is whether the responding officers could have handled the situation differently. According to ComPol Williams, the police exercised great restraint, but he would have went about it differently had he been faced with that situation.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“The incident, I must say, is one that really and truly, I don’t know what to say per se, but I saw a situation where the police officers were doing as best as they can to detain an individual who had stabbed another. And as much as the police officers were trying to apprehend that individual, he was consistently resisting and trying to go after that person that he had stabbed. Obviously, his intent was to kill because even though the person was lying on the ground he was stomping the person in the head and the police officers again, while some may criticize them and say that they did not perform their duties the way that they should, I’m not going to go to that extent because sometimes, no matter the training you have, when you confront a situation you tend to forget that training and you just do what you believe can be done in that instance. But if it were me, from the mere fact that the individual had stabbed that person, the person is on the ground and he’s constantly going after that person to try and finish off that person, I would have shot him. Again, the police officers who were there had weapons but they exercised great restraint and I must applaud them for that, even though I would have acted differently. I still endorse their actions in terms of exercising great restraint.”

Who Killed Alfredo Rodriguez at Port?

Investigators are stumped and unable to make an arrest in the murder of Alfredo Enrique Rodriguez David. On Thursday evening, sometime around five p.m., police were called to an area near the Port of Belize where they discovered the body of the construction worker with a gunshot injury. The forty-two-year-old was fishing at the waterfront when he came under deadly gunfire by an unknown assailant. According to ComPol Williams, they have been unable to make any progress in the case.

Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police

“At this time, no. We don’t have any tangible leads in respect to that matter. I know the police are busy in the area trying to gather as much as they can, but so far they have not been able to unearth anything that could lead them in a particular direction.”

Reporter

“By all accounts, he seemed to have been a law abiding citizen. Do police believe that this may just have been a senseless killing.”

Chester Williams

“Perhaps, and from all indication it would seem as if he was in the area fishing when he was targeted. So we are hoping that we will be able to get something that can give us some leads in respect of that matter.”

A Podcast Studio is Inaugurated for Youths

Today, a group of youth leaders who have completed a visit to the U.S have opened a podcast action centre and studio with the support of the U.S Embassy and the Love Foundation. The project is designed to keep the youths engaged on difficult topics affecting them, through podcasts that are held from their own studio. The venue at the former Belize Friends School building on Central American Boulevard in Port Loyola, is where the youths gather to discuss their challenges and share those experiences via podcasts. It all came together when their application to the U.S Embassy for grant funding, with support from the Love Foundation, came through. The U.S Embassy’s Public Affairs Officer, Luke Martin said the project received forty thousand U.S, dollars.

Luke Martin, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Embassy

“Some of our youth ambassadors that went to the United States. Once they came back, they applied for an alumni grant working with Love Foundation and also with the Friends United Meeting here, the Friends School to try to get a this is a media hub they’re going to use for south side kids in the school here. Teaching them about social media, teaching them how to record podcasts, and how to talk about difficult subjects on their podcasts as well. So it’s a great opportunity for them to really understand media environment, practical skills for them in the future too. The grant itself is called the Alumni Engagement Innovation Fund, A.E.I.F., and for any us exchange alumni that come back to Belize they are able to qualify. They can apply for these. It’s actually super competitive. So we were glad that along with love Foundation, the youth ambassadors, that they were recognized for a really strong proposal and were granted this money. So we encourage all our alumni to apply for things like this because there’s great opportunities to engage with the communities here.”

Love Foundation Instrumental in Youths Getting Funding

Devannie Apolonio is a youth ambassador who plays a key role in not only what the action centre and studio will offer her peers, but in seeking the funding through the Love Foundation for the project to materialize. She explained how losing her little sister some months ago flung her into the throes of grief and she herself used the medium to better cope. And Managing Director of the Love Foundation, Deborah Erskine explained how the foundation was able to assist the youths to tap into the funding. She shared that this Wednesday they will record the first of six episodes on different topics, after which they will air.

Devannia Apolonio, Youth Ambassador Alumni

“I would have my recording once every two weeks on a topic that I would feel free to bringing the professionals in and opening a discussion, bringing the students, bringing other people who would feel comfortable on that basic topic and let us have a discussion and find that solution as one. Mental health is a big struggle as a young person myself. I recently lost my little sister in February, and grief is my big thing, and this is my thing to do. So it really took on a toll on me, but I’m coming back from that. I’m using my sister as my shoulder to inspire people that, yes, grief is something, but you could overcome it and take it one step at a time. And so in this podcast room, we’re going to have an open discussion on certain topics that People would feel like if you want to start having a conversation, it would be, wouldn’t be accepted in certain areas where it would in this wide classroom, you come in and you talk as freely as you want with the guidance of a professional and your peers.”

Debra Erskine, Managing Director, Love Foundation

“It’s the first time that Belize has received one of these awards, and actually it was a group of youth ambassadors that came together and they had the idea. So the idea is from the youth ambassadors and then the Love Foundation just basically helps with the writing of the proposal, putting the ideas together. So we did that approximately two years ago and we got funded a year ago. They felt that this was a great way to help other young people countrywide, not just within their community. So they were looking at an opportunity to really be able to air. Issues social issues that they may be going through but they just they wanted it to be available to young people everywhere So hence the reason for bringing in professionals alongside with them so that young people are able to get the right Information and know where to go to for help if they need, to seek help or advice from someone.”

Bomb Threat at Wesley Upper Sends Schools in High Alert Mode

The compounds of Queen Square Primary and Wesley Upper schools were cleared this morning following reports of a bomb threat at Wesley Upper School. Both grounds are located across from each other on Dolphin Street. Law enforcement officers responded swiftly to the report and within thirty minutes the all-clear was given. By that time, the school had already alerted parents and guardians of the situation. They were asked to pick up their children from school. Here is what we heard from a few parents who visited the schools to get their children.

Voice of: Queen Square Primary School Parent

“No deh send a text. I don’t really know what happened. Just a text came in and said bomb threat at Wesley School so come in for your kids.”

Paul Lopez

“So you came for your kid?”

Voice of: Queen Square Primary School Parent

“Yes sir.”

Paul Lopez

“How serious you take something like this?”

Voice of: Queen Square Primary School Parent

“Well you don’t play with things like these. You go for your children when problems so I come for my child.”

Voice of: Wesley Upper School Guardian

“I was home and then one of the neighbors came and I heard someone outside shouting my name and the neighbor said. Yow there is a bomb threat at school, go for your brother. So I just jump up and I come and check what happened and when I reach here I saw it is all clear and it was not serious. So it is something good to hear.”

Paul Lopez

“How serious you took a news like this?”

Voice of: Wesley Upper School Guardian

“Honestly, I didn’t take it seriously because from I was going to primary school I believe it is just something to get a day off. I didn’t take it serious, but I just came to be on the safe side nuh.”