He killed a man in the line of duty, and now a constable will serve time behind bars for what a jury found was an unjustified use of deadly force.
On January 29th, a jury convicted Police Constable Burton Caliz of manslaughter for killing Leroy Pilgrim in San Pedro Town in February of 2004. Since then, the sentencing has been repeatedly delayed. Today 53 days after he was convicted, Caliz was sentenced. He faced a possible sentence of life in prison but this morning Justice Troadio Gonzalez sentenced Caliz to ten years behind bars.
Justice Gonzalez heard mitigation pleas from caliz's attorney Dickie Bradley, his teacher Pamela Bowden who is now the vice-principal at St. Luke's Methodist Primary School, and Inspector Dinsdale Thompson who appeared for the Commissioner of Police. Caliz killed Pilgrim while he was on duty.
Caliz's sentence will start from the date of his conviction on January 29th.
