Jasmine Hartin spent her first night at the Belize Central Prison last night - and, the news tonight is that she will have to spend quite a few more - at least.
This afternoon at 2:00 was the first hearing in Hartin's petition to the Supreme Court for bail.
Her defense attorneys, Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith and Hector Guerra, managed to get an expedited bail petition before the Supreme Court, and the case was assigned to Justice Herbert Lord.
He presided over a brief hearing, and in his opening remarks, he expressed his disapproval of the intense media coverage that this case has been getting. He also confirmed that the DPP's Office, which was represented today by Senior Crown Counsel Shanice Lovell, has filed an objection to Hartin's bail. They're insisting that Hartin is a flight risk.
Justice Lord then ordered that the DPP's Office must provide full written submissions with case law to back its objection. The Defence will be given time to submit a written response with full arguments.
He then adjourned the case until next week Wednesday morning. That means that Hartin, who tuned into the hearing from prison using the newly established Court to Prison Video live link, will spend at least 8 days on remand.
7News was outside the courtroom when the attorneys came out, and here are the very brief comments they made on the bail petition:
Reporter
"We understand that the objection was made because it's considered that Miss Hartin is a flight risk."
Shanice Lovell - Senior Crown Counsel
"Yes, and we're going to be working on submissions, and then, the judge will hear the matter thereafter."
Godfrey Smith, SC - Attorney for Jasmin Hartin
"You all were in court. You all would have heard the judge, Justice Lord, express disapproval of the kind of media publicity he has seen attending this matter. Obviously, I have no intention of contributing to that. You would have heard what I heard, which is that the matter is adjourned. Why has it been adjourned? The Director of Public Prosecutions Office filed a short statement, one sentence saying, 'We object to bail on the basis of flight risk," with nothing further. The judge has said he wants full submissions, full developed arguments on that to be submitted by Friday. We are to respond on Monday, and the matter will continue next week Wednesday. That is all I can say, thank you, very much."
Because Hartin is the mother of billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft's grandchildren, this case has generated huge interest from the international press. Today, the courtroom was jammed with foreign journalists from several British and American newspapers and television stations.
