According to Supreme Court personnel, however, Caliz?s upgraded charge was not read to him because his attorney was not present in court.

He was remanded to the Hattieville Prison, however, until a next court case date is scheduled for sometime this year.

PC Caliz, Jr., is the second police officer whose charges have been upgraded from its initial charge.

PC Sheldon Arzu, who had been charged initially with manslaughter in the shooting death of Caye Caulker resident Reuben ?Pony? Alarcon, who was allegedly shot in the head as police tried to detain him on the island, also had his charge upgraded to murder this year.

Pilgrim, a fisherman on the island, said police, was fatally shot when, according to the police version of what occurred back in 2004, ?They [police] visited an area in the San Juan area of San Pedro where they conducted a search. As a result, police discovered an illegal firearm and thereafter attempted to apprehend two brothers, who were present. The individuals then resisted and began to advance upon the officers. One of the officers pulled his service revolver, whereas one of the individuals grabbed one of the officer in an attempt to relieve him of his weapon. A struggle ensued, whereas both individuals fell into the water and whereas the weapon discharged, with the bullet hitting the suspect near the left ear.?

The police version of what occurred that day differs from what an eyewitness had told Amandala when we visited the island looking for answers about Pilgrim?s death.

Pilgrim was found dead in the water, with a single bullet in his head. According to relatives, Pilgrim had left his home after kissing his daughter and telling his wife that he would be back shortly for the food that she had prepared for him.

Unfortunately, that day, Pilgrim never made it home alive. A few minutes after he left home, it is alleged that police stopped him to conduct a routine search after he had emerged from behind some mangroves, where he and his brother had just finished refueling his moored boat.

The eyewitness had told Amandala ?he saw when police took Leroy Pilgrim, after he [Pilgrim] had surfaced from the back area where he had his boat. Pilgrim was rubbed down by the police and that they did not find anything on him??

The eyewitness had also stated that ?he saw when a police officer walked back [Pilgrim] to where he had just come out from, and by this time, the officer was holding him by the collar of his shirt? He said he then heard one shot?

(For more information on this article, please see our Tuesday mid-week issue of the Amandala, dated, February 18, 2004, in an article titled, ?Thursday night craziness on San Pedro!?)