Photo: Alifa Elrington
by Kristen Ku
BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Feb. 29, 2024
The Bladen 12 trial saw another day of intense courtroom proceedings on Tuesday, February 27, as the focus remained on witness testimonies and cross-examinations.
The day began with Alifa Elrington, head of the Police Department’s Prosecution Branch, concluding the examination of ASP Roberto Novelo, a key figure attached to the Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU), who took over the investigation of the suspicious plane landing on November 4, 2021.
Novelo’s involvement began on November 5 when he received the detainees, immediately arresting and charging all 12 suspects.
A significant portion of the day was dedicated to the cross-examination by Defense Attorney Leeroy Banner, who probed ASP Novelo on the treatment of detainees, specifically Moises Adan Perez and Armando Martinez. Despite attempts to get Novelo to acknowledge a lapse in the care of the detainees during a critical 11-hour window prior to their custody transfer, Novelo maintained his ability to account for their whereabouts during that time, countering Banner’s insinuations of police mistreatment.
Banner’s questioning brought to light Martinez’s claims of being beaten, a statement not reflected in the interview transcripts.
When asked, Novelo attributed this discrepancy to possible omissions by the recorder, yet confirmed that the interview’s video recording captured all statements. Despite observing injuries on Martinez, Novelo did not consider it severe, justifying his decision not to pursue further investigation or report to the Professional Standards Branch, a move scrutinized by Banner.
“This is an important witness because he’s a recent officer, so a lot of weight will be given to what he says in court,” Banner said, without going into much detail. “It’s taking much longer than all of us anticipated, but these things take time. The wheels of justice turn slowly but surely.”
On Wednesday, February 28, the voir dire segment of the Bladen 12 trial concluded its fifth day, wrapping up with Leeroy Banner finishing his cross-examination of ASP Novelo, focusing on adherence to the Commissioner’s Rules and Guidelines during detainee handling.
Banner highlighted the absence of an acknowledgment form for the detainees, arguing that this omission pointed to misconduct in the treatment of Perez and Martinez, who allegedly suffered beatings by police.
Predictably, the voir dire still has a long way to go with the disclosure of 78 statements and preparing for additional witnesses.
“We are under an obligation to disclose all statements from persons who would have engaged, and that is what we have to do. When we were looking at the matters as it related to the witnesses we were calling, I was able to bring it down to about 60 persons that would be able to support the position of the Crown and then provide also some additional corroborating evidence so that the case can flow,” stated Chief Prosecutor, Alifa Elrington.
The trial’s next phase will see the prosecution turning its attention to Officer Muschamp, responsible for detaining Perez and Martinez, when court sessions resume on March 25, April 3 and 8, with further dates to follow, allowing Senior Magistrate Baja Shoman to address other cases.