BELIZE CITY, Thurs. Oct. 24, 2019– Jayme Patrick Marin, 28, a resident of Caye Caulker village, was charged with murder and attempted murder when he appeared today before Senior Magistrate Aretha Ford. Marin, described by his attorney Hurl Hamilton as being mentally challenged, was also charged with dangerous harm and use of deadly means of harm.

Senior Magistrate Ford explained to him that she would not take a plea from him because the offences are indictable, which means that a plea will only be taken at the Supreme Court if the matter is committed there for trial.

 The incident occurred on the night of October 22. According to the allegation against him, Marin stabbed two of his cousins, Isaac Marin, 17, and his brother, Carlos Marin, 25, the proprietor of I And I Bar, in the Marin family home on Caye Caulker.

Isaac died as a result of his injuries, while Carlos was admitted to ward at the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital, where he is listed in a critical but stable condition.

Hamilton, in court today, asked Senior Magistrate Ford to use her discretion and allow Marin to be housed in a facility other than the Belize Central Prison because of his mental condition. But she did not grant his request. Marin has been remanded until January 8, 2020.

(See Albert Ciego’s story on page 7)