And switching now to other matters - we have a slight back and forth between attorney Dickie Bradley and Commissioner of Police Chester Williams.
They're both attorneys but have different interpretations of how the magistrate should have handled the arraignment of Julian Henry. The 26 year old is accused of accidentally killing a friend. He was at his home in Las Flores, Belmopan cleaning his shotgun when he made a mis-step on the floor and fired the gun through the window and killed his friend, Daniel Orellano who happened to be standing there.
Henry was denied bail and remained when he appeared in court yesterday - and while his attorney didn't like it, the Commissioner felt the Magistrate had no other choice:
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for Julian Henry
"Here comes a young man who, the police are satisfied that an accident occurred. There is no intention, if there was intention, he would have been charged for manslaughter or worse murder. There is no evidence at all, so they have charged at the very lowest. You have a magistrate court taking the view that we can't really give bail. You see, the dichotomy that is there, in fact, the magistrate even said perhaps the chief justice needs to clarify the matter because the crime control act says if you commit any offense under the firearms act, the magistrate cannot give bail. This is not an offense under the firearms act."
Reporter
"So, this would fall under where?"
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for Julian Henry
"This falls under a bailable matter that he should have been granted bail. That is our respectful opinion."
Chester Williams, Commissioner of Police
"I don't think the magistrate would be wrong. It is an instance that occurred with the use of a firearm and under section 16 of the crime control and criminal justice act, it clearly stipulates that persons who are charged with an offence committed with a firearm shall not be granted bail by the magistrate."
Bradley is expected to apply for bail on Friday.
