The preliminary inquiry into the killing of Senior Superintendent Henry Jemmott started today in San Pedro. Jasmin Hartin and her attorney Dickie Bradley were there to hear almost 100 pages of evidentiary disclosure. Hartin is accused of the manslaughter by negligence of Jemott on a San Pedro pier.
Speaking with us about the overall legal strategy yesterday, Dickie Bradley threw some professional shade at her last attorney when he said she should have never given a statement:
Dickie Bradley - Attorney-At-Law
"Jasmine Hartin returns to the San Pedro court for her to do the preliminary inquiry into the manslaughter by negligence allegation."
Cherisse Halsall
"And you've said that once you get your disclosure, your trial is likely to close, but once you go through the preliminary inquiry even more so, correct?"
Dickie Bradley
"Yes, and maybe, when you are given your disclosure and if it is an indictable matter that can only be tried in the supreme court when you go to a preliminary inquiry, you now join the cue in the supreme court. In her case, because the offense took place in the Belize judicial district it is to be tried in one of the supreme courts in Belize City. In the case of Jasmine Hartin what do we have, she may not have received the best legal advice. But the advice she had been given was that she gave a statement. I want to tell the people of Belize do not give statements to the police let them slap you and beat you and as you come out you run to the doctor and confirm that you have been beaten, don't give statements. So anyhow Jasmine gave a statement which she signed in the presence of the justice of the peace. Which magistrate will not say that she should not have a trial on the matter. And so I repeat myself do not give statements because you know let me just tell them what happens and lots of times police say oh just tell me what you want and give me the statement and go home, yeah right, don't fall for that trick. So, she gave a statement she is admitting that the officer died because she was handling the firearm so there is no getting out of that, that will go to trial."
