For the past eleven months he has been spending time on remand behind bars at Hattieville Prison but tonight Calbert Budd Jr. is a free man after he was cleared of his murder charge when he appeared this morning in Belize City Supreme Court. Following the announcement a very happy and joyful Calbert Budd Jr. hugged his father and younger brother as he emerged from the court building. He was in custody for only ten minutes.
Court reports are that the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prose qui in the case after 7NEWS is reliably informed that the prosecution was unable to produce a witness that could positively identify the accused as the gunman. Reports are that none of the seven witnesses wanted to go to court and testify what they had seen on February eleventh, 2003. On that day, Jason Avila was riding his bike on Iguana Street near Seagull Street when a lone gunman opened fire in his direction. Avila was shot several times and died at the scene.
Budd, Jr. joins four others who have walked from murder charges since the October session started.
