Photo: Kareem Martinez, on trial for manslaughter
This afternoon the third day of trial in the Laddie Gillet manslaughter case continued. On Saturday, a virtual session during which testimonies from 9 witnesses were presented, was held, and the trial is expected to continue into the week
by Marco Lopez
DANGRIGA, Stann Creek District, Mon. Jan. 30, 2023
The family of Laddie Gillett is calling for a guilty verdict, and for Corporal Kareem Martinez to spend some time behind bars. A court fine for the manslaughter of the promising 14-year-old would not be justice, Laddie’s adopted grandmother, Lucy Fleming, told local media last week.
Approximately 18 months after the July 14, 2021 shooting that claimed young Laddie’s life, the trial commenced in the Dangriga Supreme Court last Friday. Justice Antoinette Moore is presiding over the hearing, which is expected to run well into this week, and which continued this afternoon. The case is reportedly scheduled to feature witness testimonies from 18 persons in total.
Laddie was fatally shot in the back while in Placencia on a family vacation in the summer of 2021. He was with a friend at the time, Thomas Palacio, who witnessed the incident. Palacio was the second person to testify on Friday. He told the court under cross-examination that the suggestion that he, Gillett, and their female companion were trying to enter a property illegally is untrue. Palacio had come from Independence Village to spend time with Laddie and a young female acquaintance. In his testimony, he claimed that he and Laddie saw “two men in black” on the beach while heading back to their hotel room.
They ran from the men, who pursued them, he said. He claims to have been clubbed to the back and to have heard a loud bang before falling to the ground. He was detained and taken to the police station, while Laddie’s body remained on the beach. Palacio insists that the men never declared themselves as police and that he only realized who they were after seeing their shirts. He says that one of the men stood over him, brandishing his pistol.
The Scene of Crime technician who processed the scene, Pablo Mai, told the court that he found a single Aguila brand shell and a blood-stained mask – belonging to Laddie. He was given Martinez’s firearm to package as a part of the investigation and says when he went to photograph the victim’s body, he observed a gunshot wound caused by a bullet that entered his back and exited his chest. He claimed that the area was dark and windy that night. Today, an attorney assisting the family, Richard “Dickie” Bradley, suggested that the line of questioning from the defense attorney, Selgado, may be seeking to lay a foundation to bring into question the external conditions on the night of the incident and how they contributed to the fatal shooting
Devon Castillo, a security guard who works at the resort near which the incident took place, made the call to the police. He testified that he called the police to report that three people – two boys and a girl – had tried to illegally enter the property where he was working. He claimed that the trio ran off, and after calling the police twice they finally came, and he pointed them in the persons’ direction. After hearing the gunshot, he went to the scene and saw four officers, three of whom he knew – including Martinez.
This evening a little before 5:00 p.m., day 3 of the trial continued. Over the weekend, on Saturday, Justice Moore and the parties held a virtual trial session during which 9 witnesses of the 18 gave their testimonies. Three persons, all police officers, gave in-court testimonies today.
Michael Miranda and Isiah Pop were the two police officers who responded to the shooting at the time of the incident. They were unable to confirm the time of the shooting – claiming it was sometime around 10:00 p.m. while the record indicates that it occurred at an earlier time.
The father of the victim, Emil Bradley, said that he was disappointed with the testimonies given by the police officers today, and went as far as to say that some of what was recounted by the lawmen were lies.
“It just makes me realize why the conviction rate is so low – how they weren’t prepared for this case. I can’t understand how these two police officers who testified earlier, sworn on the bible, went in there and tell lies. Like it’s a dog that has been shot; even a dog, you love your dog, you will look after your dog, you would try to do something. I mean, they just watched, didn’t even make any effort to say, make we try to do CPR or check his pulse or anything like that; and then they come and then they lie … I won’t say I won’t get into it, all I’ll say is that I am not happy with these police officers, and this is what we are talking about when we say we need more training for police officers. When Mr. Williams listens to these testimonies that these officers give I know he will be ashamed …,” Emil Bradley, Laddie’s father told local reporters today.
He added, “We have a bigger problem that we are actually seeing. It’s not only the case with Laddie; but we have a bigger problem in our department, and this is the reason why our conviction rate is so low, because we failed to prepare. Pan top ah that, ih still gwen goh tell lie,” Bradley said.
The accused, Police Corporal Kareem Martinez, has been out on bail after being charged in July 2021. He was dismissed from the police force in November 2021. Martinez has reportedly filed a claim against the Police Department, challenging the dismissal. He was charged and convicted before a police tribunal, and at the time Commissioner of Police, Chester Williams based his decision on section 25(4) under the Police Act.
Today at adjournment, Justice Moore suggested that a location hearing be conducted on Wednesday. The court will hold that day’s proceeding in front of the resort, where there will be a view of the location of the shooting. Attorney Dickie Bradley says this is to allow the bench and parties to get a physical view firsthand of the area of the incident to better make a judgment. This will have to be agreed upon by the parties.