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Jamal Jackson, 31, arraigned for WPC shooting

GeneralJamal Jackson, 31, arraigned for WPC shooting

BELIZE CITY, Wed. Mar. 2, 2016–A Belize City man who allegedly fired at a police mobile on Monday night, hitting a woman police constable in the head and on her finger, was remanded to prison after he was arraigned on possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition charges this morning.

With his feet shackled in chains and his hands chained behind his back, Jamal Jackson walked slowly as the court orderly escorted him to the courtroom of Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith for his arraignment.

Smith read the two firearms-related offences, for which bail cannot be granted at the Magistrate’s Court and Jackson pleaded not guilty to “kept unlicensed firearm (a .9mm Glock pistol) and kept unlicensed ammunition (nine .9mm rounds)” for which a gun licensed has not been granted.

The Chief Magistrate read the accompanying police facts of the charges and told Jackson, “This seems to be an open and closed case. You still want to waste my time and plead not guilty?”

Jackson, 31, a resident of Supal Street replied, “Not guilty, your honor.”

Smith asked the court prosecutor, Corporal Christopher Smith, for the disclosure and trial dates.

The prosecutor set May 23 as the date for Jackson to receive his disclosure of the evidence against him, and June 7 as trial date.

Jackson, however, was in more trouble with the law after the court prosecutor handed the Chief Magistrate his record. It revealed that Jackson had failed to pay a $10,000 drug trafficking fine.

Smith told him that he owes the fine, but Jackson tried to explain that he had appealed the fine but did not follow up on the appeal papers.

Smith told him that it appeared that his appeal had been abandoned and declared, “You still owe the money.”

At this point, Jackson, who was still shackled, asked to address the court. Jackson said that police apprehended him near South Creek Street while he was on his way home. He told the court that the police had shot him, although he did not say on what part of his body he suffered the gunshot wound.

Jackson’s right foot was bandaged, but police had reported that he had cut his foot while trying to escape and had been treated at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital.

Jackson also complained that the police had beaten him and did not give him a police medico/legal form for him to seek medical attention. Jackson said police had threatened his life and he did not feel safe.

Smith told him, “Well, you are going into custody. You will be safe at the Kolbe Foundation; that’s where you are going.”

Late in the afternoon police brought Jackson back to court for more charges to be read to him. There was, however, no magistrate available to read the new charges to him. Therefore, he was taken to prison and the charges will be read when he returns to court.

The other charges that police have levied on Jackson are attempted murder of Woman Police Constable Sheneah Caliz, 27, and attempted robbery and handling stolen goods in respect of the firearm police are alleging they found in his possession.

Woman Police Constable 1845, Sheneah Caliz, a rookie with about nine months experience in the force, who is attached to the Traffic Support Unit at Precinct 3, sustained gunshot wounds and was admitted to the KHMH in a stable condition.

Jamal Jackson is no stranger to police. He was indicted, along with Talbert Mena and Daniel Myvett, for the February 14, 2010 murder of Nigerian security guard Kaluru Oloungududu, which occurred on the compound of Belize Best Western Biltmore hotel.

When the case reached court last June, however, Jackson and Mena were acquitted of the murder of Oloungududu. Myvett remains on remand for the murder and is awaiting his day in court.

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