7 News Belize

Mayflower Resident Says Cops Pepper Sprayed Him
posted (September 6, 2018)

One city resident who lives right at the edge of Zone 2 is Lester Smith.  He resides on Mayflower Street, which is off Vernon Street. That was one of the first areas police hit at 3:00 AM on Wednesday morning.  He told us they broke down his door and then pepper sprayed him - and when he went to complain they threatened to arrest him:…

Lester Smith - Complainant
"What happened is that I live at the end of the street and the policeman come and knock on my door on my house side; bang, bang, bang because I don't have no fence. They come to the house side, I get up but I was naked in my bed so I said to my young lady, put in your clothes babe because the policeman are at the house. Open the door, open the door, I said to the policeman right now sir I will open my door. By the time I done haul on my pants and reach to my main door to enter my home, I have a screen door on the veranda - the officer done kick open my screen door, bang! Then I opened the big door, he got the gun at my dog and he tell me hold the dog. So I'm holding the dog, I told him officer the dog won't do you anything man, go through, go into the house. They went into the house, searched the house, I told the officer only my, my girl and little baby that is 8 months is at the house. The officer gone in, do their search, when they done the officers come back outside and I told him bredda you kick open the door and I di tell you, I the come right now, you never had to do that. He walked down the step, get at the front of the veranda and pepper spray me for what? I don't know what he pepper spray me for."

Reporter
"How old are you mister?"

Lester Smith
"I will be 46 next weekend."

Reporter
"Are you a known criminal?"

Lester Smith
"Yes sir, I have a past, I'm not an angel."

Reporter
"But not anymore?"

Lester Smith
"Not anymore. I'm working for Belize City council sir."

Reporter
"After they didn't find anything, did they apologize to you?"

Lester Smith
"No sir, they did not apologize, they did not have nothing to do with me but pepper spray me."

Reporter
"And you spoke to the man himself, Chester Williams and he completely ignored your cry?"

Lester Smith
"He tells me get the f out of the yard, he and Mr. Caliz otherwise I will go in to the cell with the man they bring from back of Ghost town. He and Mr. Caliz tell me get out of the police station yard, get out of the yard."

A number of residents have told us that police broke down their doors.  As part of the emergency powers, citizens can be subject to arbitrary search.

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