Alexander “Lee-Dog” Palacio, Jr., 24, was today sentenced to sixteen long years in prison for manslaughter for the stabbing death of Wasani Belgrave, 22, who was killed on Thursday, May 19, 2005, in the Yabra area.
Palacio, Jr., tried before Justice John “Troadio” Gonzalez in Supreme Court #2, on Wednesday, January 30, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, after having been charged initially with the more serious charge of murder.
With the acceptance of Palacio, Jr.’s guilty plea by the prosecutor, attorney Merlene Moody, the learned judge then scheduled the date for sentencing, allowing time for Palacio, Jr.’s attorney, Hubert Elrington, to gather persons for mitigation pleas on his behalf.
Today Alexander Palacio, Sr., 55, a freelance photographer and a resident of #7013 Iguana Street extension, delivered a mitigation plea. He told the court that there were reasons why his son may have ended up hanging out with the wrong people and turning out the way he did. He started off by saying that Alex’s mother left Belize when he was at the tender age of six or seven. To explain it better, he said that, “Alex was still hanging on to her dress tail.” When she left, he changed to holding on to his hands, not having mommy close. He realized that she was not there and had to draw to him in order to feel the love only a mother can give, said Palacio, Sr.
Palacio, Jr. was left behind with his father and four other siblings, and his father didn’t have enough time for him, having had to keep up with a tight schedule as a security officer stationed at the Gwen Lizarraga High School (GLHS) for a number of years. In his attempt to ensure that the kids had what they needed – a roof over their heads and food to eat – Palacio, Sr. said he worked many overtime shifts and therefore spent little time with the kids.
They were hardly ever supervised and that, he believes, is the reason why his son may have turned to friends to find a feeling of acceptance and love. He always made certain that food was at home for the children, he said, but not being there to guide and direct his kids, is what may have led to all this.
The judge then asked him when he last visited his son in prison, and Mr. Palacio, Sr. said a week and a half ago.
Mr. Palacio, Sr. said that he is trying to make his son understand that he can still make something of himself when he is freed. He said that he will visit his son every opportunity he gets and will encourage him to indulge in good things and try to learn what he can while spending his time.
Moreover, although Palacio, Jr.’s mother frequently kept in touch with them, she had not once acknowledged them and sent anything for them, said Palacio, Sr. The phone calls were very few, maybe once in a year, said Palacio, Sr., and the kids began to believe that she never cared for them.
In the end, he said, you could say that the kids had a father who provided for them and cared, but hardly had the time to spend with them because of time constraints.
Palacio, Sr., then asked the court to please exercise leniency when sentencing his namesake.
Elrington then said a few words on his client’s behalf. He asked the court to consider the time that had been spent while he had been on remand, which is almost two years. He then noted that his client was very remorseful for what he did, adding that the death was and is an example of how a simple argument can turn tragic when a person becomes angry. He would like for the judge to be lenient with his client.
With that, the judge took a break and returned to court with the sentence of sixteen years. He told the defendant that he did take into consideration what was said by the father, with regards to his not having proper guidance. He noted that because this was Palacio, Jr’s., first conviction and that because he saved the court time by making a plea to the lesser charge, he was very lenient, as the maximum is life in prison for the worst cases of manslaughter, of which this was not one.
He said that he hopes that Palacio, Jr. uses the time allotted to him to build on his skills and talents.
Palacio, Jr. who lost his brother Aniver “Dog” Palacio, 27, on June 1, 2006, while he was remanded, was not even allowed to go to his brother’s funeral, his father told Amandala. Aniver was found dead lying in the drain in front of a home, where he had allegedly gone to kill the owner, Raymond “Killa” Gentle, who was also injured in the shooting.
Wasani Belgrave was stabbed near the Yabra Bridge on May 19, 2004, as he was riding his bicycle heading home. An off-duty police officer who was coming up the street at the same time was able to apprehend Palacio, Jr. He handcuffed him but when he turned his attention to the injured victim, Palacio, Jr. escaped, with the cuffs on.
The officer had taken away a brown-handled knife that was later proved to be the weapon used to inflict the fatal wounds. Wasani Belgrave died at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital while undergoing treatment. A post-mortem conducted certified that he died from a stab wound to the heart. He had also been stabbed on the chin.
Police acted on a tip and were able to find Palacio, Jr. ten days later, on Sunday, May 29, 2004 at a home on Iguana Street Extension. He did not resist arrest and has been on remand since then.