Like many Belizeans, members of The Justice for Laddie Foundation have been anxiously awaiting a decision in Kareem Martinez’s manslaughter trial.
The Foundation’s Chair, Lucy Fleming, who is also Laddie’s grandmother, said that she, along with her family and colleagues, respects Justice Antoinette Moore’s decision to delay handing down a verdict in order to consider new submissions put forth by Martinez’s defence attorney.
“While the lack of a verdict today is disappointing, it’s also understandable. Justice Moore has been scrupulous in thoroughly considering all evidence put before her, and we respect that she must deliberate these new arguments the defence suddenly submitted today.
“Whether or not we believe the possibility of the scenarios that Attorney Selgado put before the court today is immaterial,” Ms Fleming said.
Outside the courtroom, after the hearing, Emil Bradley, Laddie’s father, also supported Justice Moore’s decision while pointing out the implausibility of the defence’s argument.
Mr Bradley answered reporters’ questions about the defence attorney’s surprise suggestion that there were two shooters that night; that Cpl Martinez and PC Clyde Augustin fired two weapons simultaneously, causing one bang. The defence also suggested that Martinez fired his service weapon well up into the air, with the bullet somehow travelling down and then upward to strike Laddie.
“Well, that’s his role as an attorney; to create doubt in Justice Moore’s mind,” Mr Bradley said, before enumerating several facts that discounted attorney Selgado’s closing argument.
Consulting Attorney Dickie Bradley also compared the defence’s conjecture to facts, and discussed the difference between submission and evidence.
“The judge needs to be extremely careful in looking at every piece of submission that has been made… I can’t classify that as evidence.”
Attorney Bradley also briefly described contradictions between the officer’s firing their weapons, and police policy in the use of firearms, pointing out that the officers were never in danger, before concluding that “The judge is going over everything and we will have a decision on April 21.”
Lucy Fleming said, “After so much time, we’re all anxious for resolution and some amount of closure. But we wholeheartedly agree that it is in everyone's interest that Justice Moore takes the time to carefully consider all arguments in order to arrive at a fair and just verdict.
“Because at the end of the day, this is about Justice For Laddie.”