The trial of Kareem Martinez for Manslaughter of Laddie Gillett was back in court today.
That's after a virtual Saturday court date that saw various written statements read. But today in court it was all about the testimony of the responding officer PC Martinez, who judge Antoinette Moore cautioned in court for his indiscipline, and who didn't seem sure whether the boys were running toward him or away from him on the night in question.
Also on the stand was PC Pok, another of the officers who responded to the scene. But there were discrepancies about the timeline because while the men both claimed that they arrived at Placencia Beach at 10:30 pm, the testimony of the doctor, which will be heard tomorrow indicates that Laddie Gillett had already been declared dead by 10:21 PM.
Cherisse Halsall was in Dangriga's Supreme Court today and sends back this report.
There were three witnesses called to the stand today PC Miranda, PC Pok, and Corporal Fermin Choco.
The first two were responding officers to the Placencia beach club on July 14, 2021. The third is the man who sealed Kareem Martinez's police issued gun into evidence.
They were examined and cross examined about the sequence of events leading to Laddie Gillett's death as well as their involvement in the killing.
For his part PC Pok claimed that officers are allowed to use their firearms in quote "intense" situations
The final witness was procedural as Corporal Cho was questioned about the process of sealing the weapon that killed Laddie Gillett and who witnessed it.
Judge Antionette Moore has indicated that she and her courtroom will visit the scene of Laddie Gillett's death in Placencia village on Monday morning. She hopes that in so doing she can get a far better sense of the direction in which the boys were running and what happened.
The trial against Kareem Martinez for Manslaughter continues in Dangriga's Supreme Court tomorrow at 9:00 AM.
