And while the collapse of the case against Ben Bou-Nahra has outraged many, none more so than Shawn Copious' mother Karen Copious. Since her son's death, she's gone through a rough stretch of personal torment and unraveling. She found out that the case against her son's accused killer crumbled on the 7_NEWS_ last night and it has left her shattered. Shawn was her only son and she says her fruitless search for justice has made her into a demon.
Karen Copious, Mother of Deceased
"I want justice. They killed my son really cruel and brutal and I
am not happy. They ruined me and I don't know what else to do. Maybe I turn like them. I hope they lock up all a deh in jail for my son because I miss my beautiful son everyday and nothing they do or give to me, they can't bring back my son or kill that pain until I dead that will hurt me what they do. And the police – they will do the same thing to them – get them and kill them too. Alight."
Keith Swift,
Its still painful; for you Karen?
Karen Copious,
"Yes because everyday I still cry for my son and I feel him sometimes strong in my house and he isn't happy what they did to him because form the time you shot a person a lot it means you meant to do it, you willfully did it. They know what they did and I want a little justice out of my life because that is my only son and I am not happy none at all. If I had 5 more I wouldn't mind but that is my only one. All my life I gave to him so what they took away from me, that hurts me until I don't what it is. I feel like I am becoming a demon."
And while Karen Copious grieves, a large section of the population seems to be understandably outraged at the four police officers and profoundly disappointed in the justice system. This afternoon, 7NEWS sampled opinion of people in downtown Belize City about the controversial end of the case against Ben Bou-Nehra. Here's what they told Keith Swift.
Woman #1: It sounds a little unfair and it seems that the upper class can get away with anything. Its not fair at all. Something needs to be done about that.
KS: You feel if you have money in Belize…
Woman #1: …you could get away with even murder. It seems unfair.
Woman #2: I think you put all the police in jail because
they deserve it, put all of them from top to bottom.
KS: So you're not happy with the result?
Woman #2: No way.
KS: Why?
Woman #2: Because they are lying. They know the man. They know the man. Why would they lie? Just because he has money.
Woman #3: That is a total disgrace on our Police Department right now because when we could say we could rely on the police, they really and truly let us down. That is all I have to say.
KS: You feel it had anything to do with money?
Woman #3: Hmm. I mean you don't want to make speculation but sometimes the way how things the run, maybe it is that.
Man #1: This outta mind honestly cause everyone is talking about how this dude, just because he had a lot of money that he is one of the privileged Belizeans.
KS: Are you disappointed in the police officers?
Man #1: Of course because just because this dude has money
or is one of the selected Belizeans that they got amnesia and he got off and that's really messed up.
Man #2: I believe once you have money in Belize you can buy over people, high people and you could walk free and I think that policy in Belize is wrong because not because you have money you could do what you want. You should face justice like everybody else.
Woman #4: I expect that because today day, once you got money – that's all. Bye.
And while the community has spoken out against the unhappy end to the case, so has civil society. The UDP, the Public Service Union, the Independent Media Association, the VIP Party, all sent releases today.
The UDP says what happened in the courtroom is only the culmination of a pattern of police and official behavior. The Opposition also calls on the DPP to immediately charge the officers with perjury.
The Belize Independent Media Association says that the testimony by four police officers marks, "a tipping point in what has been a steady erosion of the institutional integrity of the nation's judicial systems and the rule of law."
In its release, the PSU warns that the case does not speak well for the preservation of law and order…and warns that it, "reinforces the notion that those of stature in society are above the law." BIMA and the PSU have called on the Prime Minister to launch an independent investigation.
