Tonight, there is justice for Laddie. The verdict in the Crown vs. Kareem Martinez came in at 11:00 this morning in Belmopan. Justice Antoinette Moore found him guilty of the manslaughter of 14 year old Laddie Gillet.
And tonight the former Corporal of police is spending his first night at the Kolbe Foundation in Hattieville.
The decision was delivered with painstaking detail this morning by Justice Moore who read out the lengthy judgement. That took about an hour, and by the end of it she found Martinez to be guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cherisse Halsall has been on the case since the very beginning and this morning when the verdict came in, she went live from Belmopan, here is that story.
STANDUP
This morning Kareem Martinez was declared by the court to be guilty in the Manslaughter of Laddie Gillet, the court decided this based on 5 elements, first that Laddie Gillett is dead, the second that he died of harm, the third that the harm was carried out by Kareem Martinez, the fourth, that there was no lawful cause for that harm to have been committed, and the fifth that police men do not have the authority to detain, anyone, anywhere, anytime, for any reason. For all these reasons Justice Antoniette Moore found Kareem Martinez to be guilty of Manslaughter, now this is a case that has wound it's way in and out of this court for Many many months, we've covered it since the very start. Since, the moment that that fourteen-year-old boy, Laddie Gillet was shot on the beach in Placencia, that shooting now determined to be unlawful and what. We are seeing now is the attorney for Kareem Martinez coming toward us.
Oscar Selgado, Attorney-At-Law
"Well, the verdict is a very disappointing verdict for the defense and I'm saying this because with all respect to the court and to the land judge. I am of the opinion and the view that the judge did not appreciate the evidence and did not give the evidence enough weight."
But while the defence felt that brutal disappointment Laddie's Foster family says they're finally on their way to finding peace because they feel that justice for Laddie has finally been achieved. We heard for the first time from Laddie's foster Mom Bryony Fleming:
Bryony Bradley Fleming, Laddie's Foster Mom
"Um. I feel really good that it's finally come to an end that we got justice not only for Laddie, but for all the kids in Belize, for all the Laddies in Belize. I'm very grateful to everybody who assisted; the media, Justice Moore, all the police, all the investigators and to our family who have held together were able to keep calm through this very long difficult process and we really feel that justice no have been served and we are very happy."
Reporter
"Will you be attending the sentencing as well?"
Bryony Bradley Fleming, Laddie's Foster Mom
"Oh yes, I will be. Now, my 5-year-old son is still constantly asking for Laddie every day of his life. The other day he just told me mom can we go up and see if Laddie's bones are still there, because I want to see him one last time. So, it's been quite difficult. But as a family we are extremely strong, we're getting through it and we have wonderful people - the Belizean community, the kids in this country - everybody who has stood by us from the beginning through the end. I mean everybody in Belize has given us that strength and Laddie has made such an amazing change in this country. The civilians, the kids in this country are not taking the abuse anymore, they're videoing - it's in the air. So I think that Laddie has already made a huge change and this is what we want and this is what we will continue to fight for, the Justice for Laddie."
We also spoke to Laddie's Biological mother Linda Gillette, who is similar happy to have been given justice for her son.
Linda Gillette, Laddie's Biological Mother
"I am happy, so happy that I got justice for my son. I am so happy, so that some other police think about stop chancing people child and I am happy to know that not only for Laddie got justice for other kids justice, because we got a lot of kids."
But while the families are mostly satisfied, Attorney-Dickie-Bradley is not. He says that very little in Belize has changed in light of the tragedy that befell Laddie
Dickie Bradley, Attorney-At-Law
"This was a scathing criticism of the police department, of a system that fails us over and over again. This is not about Mr. Martinez being found guilty, that was inevitable because the crown council Javier, Senior Crown Council Javier Chan did a marvellous job. The trial judge has said that police officers who came to testify to court, that some of them are dishonest, they tried to mislead and deceive the court but in the end the evidence was so strong that the suggestion that a bullet can go up in the air then come backward then go horizontal is contrary to common sense and contrary to the testimony of the ballistic expert that came to court twice to clarify any concerns. This bullet went through Laddie Gillett from a horizontal angle and all the evidence is in favor of the verdict."
But the defence isn't resting, in fact Selgado says he will appeal.
Jules Vasquez:
"Sir will you appeal this verdict?"
Oscar Selgado, Attorney-At-Law
"Of course, of course. This will definitely go to the appeals court and let the court of appeal give it what value they think and I will raise the same argument that Claude Augustine had a firearm, he had 2 firearms out there, none of the firearms were sent to the examinations, to the ballistic examiner for analysis and Michael Miranda's firearm was not sent for analysis. How can the court be satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that they had not fired their firearms? Simply because an expended shell from their firearm was not recovered. They could have recovered it themselves. It was all at night and the only way you could remove that doubt is by going to the ballistic examiner to the national forensic laboratory and say, these weapons were not fired."
It's a judgement that Attorney Bradley believes is not likely to be overturned because the court rarely rejects Justice Antoinette Moore's very thorough judgements.
So, for now at least, Laddie's family has triumphed in their claim. They can now move on not just to find peace but also to work for justice for others in the name of the foundation to which they've given Laddie Gillett's name.
