Tonight - at this hour, Jasmine Hartin - the daughter in law of Michael Ashcroft is in the San Pedro Magistrate's Court awaiting a decision on bail from San Pedro Magistrate Christina Perrera.
Hartin is presently in the courtroom with her attorney Godfrey Smith awaiting this decision - according to sources. In San Pedro the media is not allowed into the courtroom because of COVID regulations.
But Cherisse Hasall has been the ground in San Pedro since the early morning and here's her report of the day's activities:
More than three days of detention ended for Jasmin Hartin today. She was arraigned this afternoon in the San Pedro Magistrate's Court on a single charge of manslaughter by negligence. That charge means that the Director of Public Prosecutions decided that - based on the evidence - it was an accidental shooting that led to Superintendent Henry Jemmott's death.
The arraignment came at the end of a long day for the media. It all started bright and early this morning when the press corps gathered in front of the upstairs courtroom in the hopes of getting a glimpse of the accused.
But it seems that despite last week's protestations by the commissioner that Hartin would be dealt with just like any other offender, it was just the opposite today.
That's because the media was initially removed out of the building by law enforcement, made to sit on these back steps. And later removed from the compound altogether; the reason cited was COVID safety measures.
Indeed, the cops seemed to go to great lengths to protect her from the glare of the medals lenses, even shutting the police station and courtroom windows to keep our cameras from catching even a glimpse of the Canadian who's made San Pedro her home.
And just when it seemed like any hope of arraignment was dwindling Hartin's attorney Godfrey Smith emerged from a taxi and strode with purpose into the upstairs courtroom.
And up until 5:08 pm, that's where he and presumably his client remained: battling through an arraignment that was long in coming, and is also taking long to wrap up.
And, Cherisse remains on the spot in San Pedro tonight - and we'll have updates - if any - as the news progresses.
So, manslaughter by negligence is an eminently bailable offence and police don't usually object to bail. But, in this case they did - because Hartin is a Canadian, and, thus, a flight risk. The 32 year old is also the mother of two - the grandchildren of Michael Ashcroft.
