Disgraced attorney Oscar Selgado has been sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted on March eighth of abetment to commit murder. The punishment which was handed down by Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court brings to an end a long-drawn out case against the well-known lawyer. In court this afternoon, family and friends of Oscar Selgado listened intently to the reading of his sentence, as Justice Pilgrim thoroughly outlined how he arrived at the decade-long prison term. Of note is that the trial judge reiterated the fact that Selgado has not shown remorse for the crime that he has committed. In weighing the mitigating and aggravating factors, this was a consideration made by Justice Pilgrim in meting out justice. Outside the courtroom, we spoke with the Director of Public Prosecutions who said that they are satisfied with the jail sentence that has been given to Selgado.
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, Director of Public Prosecutions
“Our courts dispensed justice, so I don’t think anybody was expecting injustice today. We are pleased with the sentence and I think that the decision was well reasoned.”
Reporter
“He went above the precedent that’s been set, of six years.”
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
“He’s not bound by the precedent. I think that we did cite cases to the court in our oral arguments which suggested that while that would be a consideration, it could not have resulted in what was being asked for by the other side.”
Reporter
“Are you able to say anything in relation to as to whether a process is happening right now regarding going before the G.L.C. based on the outcome of this case.”
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
“I can’t speak on G.L.C. matters.”
Reporter
“What happens now, given that the appeal is in process?”
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
“I believe it has been set for case management and then orders will be given in relation to the filing of submissions and then a date will be set for the hearing of the appeal. We think that the ultimate sentence is commensurate with the aggravating and mitigating factors in the case.”
Reporter
“What can you say about the fact that the judge stated that there are no sacred cows. This was a very serious offense but he did take into consideration his pro bono cases and how the public views him?”
Cheryl-Lynn Vidal
“In the sentencing process, the judge must look at the aggravating and mitigating factors of the offense, and also the aggravating and mitigating factors of the offender. And so, the judge had to go through all of those factors and it was in fact a mitigating factor that up until this time, he was making a significant contribution to the criminal justice system.”
Today’s outcome was not what Selgado and his legal team were anticipating. On the lower end of the punishment is a six-year prison term that has been established as precedence. On the upper end is life in prison for abetment to commit murder. Selgado’s ten-year sentence takes into consideration the gravity of the crime he has committed. The judge also considered Selgado’s contribution to the criminal justice system through his legal practice. But Justice Pilgrim was also clear in pointing out that in the criminal justice system, there are no sacred cows and no one is above the law. We spoke with defense attorney Arthur Saldivar following the sentencing.
Arthur Saldivar
Arthur Saldivar, Attorney-at-law
“It marks the end of the first phase of Mr. Selgado’s struggle to vindicate himself. Mr. Selgado is certainly committed in his belief that what has transpired is not in keeping what was required legally and, as a result of that, has endeavored to appeal. So we are at that stage now where we are contemplating the appeal because there is certainly much to consider in terms of the process. That said, given what the learned justice has articulated, I think what is most appropriate for the public to consider is that he is making it clear from his belief and perspective that no one is above the law and that what applies to one must apply to all. That is a message that I think should go far and wide, from the streets to parliament. But, suffice it to say, we are now here at and of this phase for Mr. Selgado. We look forward to the other challenge and we look forward to a different outcome.”
Isani Cayetano
“Did you expect a sentence of ten years or were you perhaps considering that it would be on a lower side?”
Arthur Saldivar
“I have no expectations. We fight, advocate and whatever comes we deal with when it comes.”
Reporter
“How do you feel about the fact that the judge did not consider that the health of your client should not have factored into his sentence?”
Arthur Saldivar
“I don’t know that he did not consider it. The mere fact that he mentions it is consideration. The weight that he gave to it may not have been what, you know, would have been expected. But again, he’s guided by precedent. What we must bear in mind is that once conviction has been arrived at, there are certain parameters that the court must operate within in coming to its decision.”
A man was stabbed to death sometime before ten p.m. on Thursday in Belize City. It happened at the corners of Saint Joseph and Nurse Seay Street. Reports are that the victim, Griffith Cadle Junior, was hanging out with someone who ended up turning on him. It is not clear what transpired, but both men were reportedly near a Chinese grocery shop, where the two had spent many days socializing. They were last seen walking on Saint Joseph Street when the killer produced a knife and stabbed Cadle, who sought to run away, but collapsed. News Five’s Marion Ali visited the scene and filed this report.
Marion Ali, Reporting
Griffith Cadle Junior was fatally stabbed on Thursday night in Belize City, in the general vicinity where he had spent most of his days hanging out. This is where the sixty-seven-year-old collapsed after he suffered the fatal knife wound. News Five spoke with a resident of the area who also happened to be Cadle’s relative. She told us that he was an easy-going character and was the neighborhood errand man who hung out near the corner of Nurse Seay and St. Joseph’s Streets.
Voice of: Neighbour #1
Voice of: Neighbour #1
“Cadle da mi cousin, but he nuh fast with nobody. When I say nobody, he keep to ihself – always he want a Coke and cigarettes, because ih sit down right deh by the Chiney deh. Ih always deh out deh di sit down but he get killed fi nothing. Fi nothing ih get killed. Dehn kill wa innocent man for what? Nothing, because all weh he do he sit down out deh, ih goh buy fi people round ya. And you could ask he fi goh anywhere fi you, he gwein, anywhere, he gwein. So when I see that last night, I say, mein, who could have wanted him dead?”
Another resident agreed that the victim was not troublesome and was a regular sight in front of the shop.
Voice of: Neighbour #2
Voice of: Neighbour #2
“Cadle da wa humble man, nice, friendly, nuh bother nobody. And he well mannerly, and things like that. He da wa humble man, nuh really bother nobody. A person like that da nuh wa problem. He just drink his Coke and run his joke and mind his own business. He nuh really associate with people. He sit down far from people and he nuh really stand up round or things like that. He keep his distance.”
And while residents feel that Cadle did not deserve what happened to him, today the Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams told News Five that both the victim and the suspect had mental challenges.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“We don’t know if it’s going to be a murder because it was a matter between two persons with mental illness. The victim suffered mental illness and from what we saw on video footage, both the victim and the suspect were hanging out together at a particular spot. They left together and shortly thereafter, the suspect inflicted the stab wound on the victim. The suspect recently got out of prison. He served a ten-year sentence, I’m not sure for what, and the court had ordered that he undergo psychiatric evaluation because he has a mental issue. He is currently in police custody and he is not stable, so police cannot even interview him at this time because of how he’s behaving in the cell.”
The commissioner indicated that the police have requested assistance from the mental health institution to administer medication to calm the suspect down, after which they’re going to send the file to the D.P.P. for a directive. Marion Ali for News Five.
The incident happened in the Caribbean Shores constituency where the Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa is also the area representative. Today, Musa said that it is unfortunate what happened to Cadle, but he sent a message that we need to look out for our mentally challenged relatives who could be at the mercy of the world and in potentially dangerous situations on the streets.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“Everybody in the neighborhood knows Junior well. Mr. Cadle was a retired serviceman and also somebody who was being treated. But if you knew Junior you would know that he’s completely harmless. He’s not a threat to anybody whatsoever. And so that came as very shocking news to the entire community to the neighborhood watch group that is extremely vigilant in that area – the Knights, correct. But police again were very swift to apprehend the suspect. It is a gentleman, I will not release his name until he’s charged, but it is a gentleman who I am told, likewise suffers with a mental condition. Apparently he served 10 years in jail already but he was released about a month ago. This definitely is one of those cases that makes you say we need to do more for our mental patients that are on the streets, that are homeless, that don’t have any family because if I’m not mistaken, Junior has no family, save and except for one brother who lives out on an island and doesn’t hardly ever come back to Belize City or to the mainland. And so I think while it is that the Ministry of Human Development, the Ministry of Health is doing an excellent job of tracking our mental patients, I think that we all need to do more for the homeless, for those who are mentally ill and to try to look out for them as best as we can. I know that this happened very late in the night. But again, we all have our own lives to go home to, and we can’t just be monitoring those who are out on the street, but as best as we can, we have to try to look out for them.”
Twenty-nine-year-old Joseph Vaccaro walked away from court a free man earlier today after beating a second murder charge. The Belize City resident was accused of the execution style shooting of a Chinese businessman of eighty-eight Shopping Center in November 2019. Zheng Cheng Liu was shot and killed near mile four on the George Price Highway. Vaccaro learned his fate when he appeared before Justice Derick Sylvester in the High Court. Prosecutor Riis Cattouse could not proceed with the trial because he was unable to locate the crown’s main witness. The D.P.P.’s office noted that the Belize Police Department had also attempted to locate the witness but those efforts were futile. Cattouse subsequently entered a case of nolle prosqui which set Vaccaro free.
Thirty-seven-year-old Calaney Flowers took a plea bargain when she appeared before Justice Derick Sylvester earlier today. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter almost twelve years after she crashed into her ex-boyfriend, Lyndon Morrison, fatally injuring him. In the wake of the deadly incident, Flowers was charged for murder and remanded to the Belize Central Prison. She was eventually acquitted of murder and the Director of Public Prosecutions appealed the verdict. The Court of Appeal later ordered a retrial. When Flowers appeared before the High Court along with attorney Leeroy Banner, she pleaded to the lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to ten years in prison. But Justice Sylvester the five years that she was on remand and ordered that the remaining five years be suspended, concluding that after twelve years in the criminal justice system, Flowers will not re-offend. With that, she was also able to walk out of court a free woman.
A viral video that captured a fourteen-year-old boy from Santa Cruz Village being bullied by a group of teenagers has led to a police investigation and mediation. Jose Amador was walking home from school when four boys from his village decided to record a video of themselves bullying him. In the video one of the teens is seen physically assaulting him. Today, we spoke with Amador in the presence of his aunt. He told us that this was not his first encounter with the boys. The Commissioner of Police also traveled down to Santa Cruz Village to meet with all parties involved, following a confrontation in the community that stemmed from the incident. We will tell you more about last night’s development. But first, News Five’s Paul Lopez tells us more about how authorities are dealing with the incident.
Paul Lopez, Reporting
Fourteen-year-old Jose Daniel Amador is a student from Santa Cruz Village who appears in a viral video being bullied by a group or young men from his school. In the clip a young man is seen physically assaulting Amador. He did not retaliate.
Jose Amador
Jose Amador, Victim of Bullying “They teach me if somebody wants to give trouble, don’t listen to them, just continue your way and don’t listen to them.”
Paul Lopez
“Why do you think it is so hard for young people to do that this way?”
Jose Amador “I don’t know really.”
Paul Lopez
“Because many people would have acted differently.”
Jose Amador “Because they will act to protect themselves. Of course everybody will protect themselves, but I prefer leaving it into the hands of the police.”
His family did just that. The Belize Police Department detained the young men. This morning, Commissioner of Police Chester Williams was in Independence Village leading mediations between the family of Amador and that of the other boys.
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police “People from all over condemned the video and upon receiving it yesterday I gave instructions to make sure they find all those persons who are involved and to have them dealt with. The young men were eventually detained by police and were charged for using a computer to bully another. And one of them was charged for causing harm to the young man.”
Amador’s mother is a pastor in Santa Cruz Village. According to ComPol Williams, she has agreed to have the matter be referred to a diversion program through the court. The Families and Children’s Act stipulates that a court must always do what is in the best interest of the child.
Chester Williams “I will be asking the court for two things, one for the court to order that the children who were a part of the bullish act to make a visit to the prison, the Central Prison and the purpose of that is for them to get an appreciation for what prison is about so that they understand if they continue the life they are having in terms of bullying people where they may end up. Next thing will be to ask the court if they young boys can be the face of an anti-bullying campaign.”
Amador’s Aunt, Wendy Lemus spoke on behalf of the family.
Wendy Lemus
Wendy Lemus, Aunt of Bully Victim “I think it is for the future for others also. It is a lesson that everyone needs to learn that at thus young age doing what they are doing. What is it that they can turn into when they become adults. So this is the correct time, for the law, the police, what they are doing, I am satisfied with what they are doing. My sister is a Christian woman and she doesn’t want to continue, none of us, none of my family wants this to escalate more hence the reason why we are here today.”
Paul Lopez
“Why do you think it is hard for young people to talk about these situations? Was it hard to talk to your parents about bullying?”
Jose Amador “Yes, because I don’t know how my parents would act and react. Maybe they would say because I the look for trouble.”
Paul Lopez
“But that wasn’t the case in this. Did you see the boys videoing?”
Jose Amador “Yes.”
Paul Lopez
“And you saw the video come out on social media, what did you think?”
Jose Amador “I think it was dumb because that is the proof that they were doing something and I have the case won because they are bullying me.”
We also heard from a family member of one of the boys charged for bullying. Elsworth Linarez is the grandfather of the child charged for harm. He was a part of today’s mediation in Independence Village.
Paul Lopez
“ As a father when you saw that video, what emotions does it evoke?”
Elsworth Linarez
Elsworth Linarez, Grandfather of Accused “Bad. Ih hurt me. Mih grand son and what he did to the young man is ridiculous. From the time I see it happen and understand that the people will put it in the hands of police I tell my wife let the police deh do what they have to and we in the family, mother, aunt, uncle, everybody agree a hundred percent that he do wrong. Dah nuh like nobody the try deh pan the lee bway side. Dah like weh I tell daughter, weh ih do wrong and if he have to go to court and pay a consequence for it then ih have to do it. There is noway for him to get away with it. It is there for everybody to see. I dah nuh the mind of parents that will day my pikni or grand pikni dah nuh deh type of pikni deh.”
There has been an outpouring of support for Amador across social media. Just before our interview with him, he was on the phone with an individual who is prepared to offer him a full high school scholarship. Amador and his family say that what was meant to break him is yielding many positive outcomes.
Paul Lopez “what do you say to bullies?”
Jose Amador “I will take the apology they have given, because everybody makes mistakes. So I will take their apology.”
Paul Lopez
“And what do you say to individuals that have been bullied before. What do you say to them to deal with it?”
Jose Amador “Please don’t be afraid to tell your family members, your parents, talk to your family members, the teachers, but talk about it.” Reporting for News 5, I am Paul Lopez.
We also heard from Kareem Musa, the Minister of Home Affairs, on the matter. Musa is not only the minister with responsibility for the Belize Police Department, but he is also the father of two teenage boys. He described the bullying incident as gut wrenching. Minister Musa says he was the one who requested that the Commissioner of Police intervene in the matter.
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“I saw the video footage of the group of young men who were trialing what appeared to be this humble young man just walking home from school I believe. He was being completely harassed; his rights violated to the point where he was actually harmed. I know that the police were very swift in picking up the aggressor, the one who committed the offense. I believe he was already charged with harm and subsequent to that you see the family members going to try to intimidate the family of the young man who was hit. Now you can see where the behavior of this young man comes from if his family is willing to go an intimidate this other family for a clear violation of this young man’s rights. That to me is unacceptable. I know the department has already again moved swiftly to pick up these individuals. They are currently in detention. It will depend on whether the family wants to press charges but at the very least if they do no press charges, I have asked the ComPol to please have and intervention because that type of behavior cannot be countenanced where you actually feel that you have the power to go an intimidate following a very clear violation of that young man’s rights. I didn’t know what to expect but when he hit him, I am sure all fathers felt that. I have two sons, one sixteen and one thirteen and of course you are going to put yourself in the shoes of that young man because my sons are the same. They are not going to interfere with anybody and they will walk along their merry way. But if somebody is completely harassing and bullying you, this young man would have fought back, but that is not in his nature and you could tell that.”
As we said earlier, the incident in Santa Cruz Village did not end with the bullying video. On Thursday night, the uncles of the young man who was seen physically harming Jose Armado confronted Armado’s family. Wendy Lemus, Armado’s aunt, posted a video to social media showing the confrontation. Today, that matter was discussed during mediation in Independence Village. The young men apologized to the victim’s family and their apologies were accepted. We heard from Lemus, as well as the Commissioner of Police, and the father of the men who apologized.
Wendy Lemus
Wendy Lemus, Aunt of Bullying Victim “Last night was a crazy night for our family. I live in Placencia, thirty something speed bumps to cross over and when I heard my sister and she was crying over the phone and couldn’t talk to me and tell me what was happening because she was traumatized by the behavior of these three young men that visited their house and intimidate them and threatened them that if they don’t drop charges they will come back and kill them. You heard the word killed you get sacred. Everybody got scared. My sister got traumatized and when I heard her voice over the phone I wish I was there.”
Chester Williams
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
“The mother of the young man is a very forgiving person. She is outstanding. I must say. She is a pastor. We discussed the matter upstairs and the father of those who went to the home last night was also present and he had something to say. They all apologized to her and like I said she is a woman of God. She is very forgiving. So, both parties are willing to put this behind and see where we go from there.”
Elsworth Linarez
Elsworth Linarez, Grandfather of Accused
“One of the mistakes my sons they made, cause my oldest son said he knows the dad and one of the sons. One of the son actually work with my next son and son in law. He said he went there to talk with the people and I could understand the people react in a kind of way because they don’t know what might be your intention. And from there the thing.”
Paul Lopez
“Do you condone that type of behavior?”
Elsworth Linarez
“None at all, absolutely none at all, that is the reason why I came here today, to put in my lee contribution and if something is there to work it out and encourage whatever or discourage whatever that is what I am here for.”
On Tuesday, the Cabinet gave its approval for the submission of legislation that seeks to amend the criminal code. This amendment would ensure that the publication of any unauthorized videos, statements, or other materials that are part of an ongoing investigation that may endanger the lives of witnesses or compromise the integrity of an investigation would be regarded as a criminal offense. This announcement drew alarm among reporters who depend on information from several sources to be able to accurately and readily keep the public informed. We sat down with Minister of Home Affairs, Kareem Musa, who maintains that the legislation does not seek to suppress the freedom of the press, but rather protect parties involved in investigation.
Kareem Musa
Kareem Musa, Minister of Home Affairs
“On Tuesday, cabinet met and considered the criminalization of the unauthorized publication of evidence that comes into the hand of police officers who are carrying out an investigation. I know that the media, quite justifiably so, is concerned. Because this includes evidence not only in the form of witness statements photographs, documents that investigators might have picked up at a particular crime scene but also video. Video evidence as we know, is now widely circulated not just on mainstream media, but also on social media. And moving forward we have approved in policy and in principle, this criminalization of certain documents, certain videos, certain photographs and I fully agree with you and I’m totally understanding of the concern of the media because there will have to be somewhat of a classification process that investigators will have to go through. Many times I’m sure we’re aware that videos are put out there even before it gets to the police station. And so at the point of investigating a particular case, if a matter or a video has already been circulating the investigator at some point will have to classify that particular video as being the subject of a criminal investigation. And so moving forward as we draft the legislation, we have to be extremely crafty in ensuring that we are not trampling on the rights of the media and access of the media to what is considered public video footage or public photographs, While at the same time, doing some sort of a balancing act to ensure that we are protecting the integrity of the evidence as well as protecting the victims or the witnesses in a particular.”
