7 News Belize

Justice Denied Is Pain for Grieving Mother
posted (April 30, 2019)
In last night's news, we told you how 22 year-old Jayear Flores got off the double murders of 7 year-old Tyler Savery, and his 22 year-old cousin, Porshan Pipersburgh.

In November 2016, Pipersburgh was taking little Tyler for a milkshake on Daly Street in Belize City.

They were on a bicycle, when a car drove up, and one of the occupants rolled down a window, and fired several gunshots at Tyler and Porshan, fatally injuring both.

It's the kind of tragedy that no parent ever wants to have to cope with. An innocent child was killed due to gun violence and a street feud that he knew nothing about.

Flores was the man who police say pulled the trigger. However, when his trial started yesterday, Justice Colin Williams refused to admit the available evidence from the prosecution into the case against Flores. So, as a result, the prosecution had to close their case, which then led to Flores being acquitted of the double murders.

Shakera Young, Tyler's mother, and her family were dutifully at court to see how the trial would progress against the man accused of killing her son. They were stunned when Flores was acquitted only hours after judge started listening to witness testimony.

Court reports say that Shakera was devastated by the outcome, and she was emotionally distressed. This afternoon, after she had some time to reflect on the outcome, she granted an interview to the press criticizing the police and the DPP's Office for the failed prosecution. She told us that she will have to move on knowing that she will not get justice for her son's murder:

Shakera Young - Mother of Deceased
"I noticed some discrepancies, when it came to 1, the police department, of how things could have been handled differently. More responsibility should have been put in place to ensure that the statements that were admitted as evidence could have been something substantial, and it would support the conviction, it wasn't. So, when I saw that, I was like, okay then, let's wait and see what happens next. When I saw the key witness testifying, I was like okay."

"I saw that it would have been something shaky, so, I was just there hoping for the best, but at the same time, a part of me was like, Shakera, prepare yourself for the worst that could possibly come."

Reporter
"You feel that the system has failed you?"

Shakera Young
"To an extent yes because on the dock, we had a police officer who testified that he interviewed the accused November 14th."

"On the dock he said that - and he admitted that he didn't record the statement until it was January 16th, 2017, and he saw the accused on November 14th. So, we're looking at a 2 months span where things could have been forgotten. Things could have been lost. Maybe, certain conversations dialog could have been forgotten. So, that was very discouraging for me because I said, mein, this is my son, and this is my only child. Isn't this something important to you?"

"Could you put yourself in the parent's shoes, to think, what if that was your child? Wouldn't you want some sense of urgency to be placed on your child's case. So, I sat there, and my heart sank because I said, God, what is happening?"

"And based on the presentation from the Crown, I felt a bit discouraged because the person did not review the case file. The judge was there saying, that is not in the file. You did not review your case file, because if you would have, then I wouldn't have to be here telling you, guiding you through this case. So, I sat there, and I was like, God, help me. Frustration was erupting inside me because these are the people who we put in charge and we trust to say that we will get justice. And these are the ones that are sitting there just doing a job."

"When the office of the DPP contacted me, the young lady informed me that there is a high possibility that case will be thrown out. And she did apologize to me that she is sorry that it had to be that way. Of course, that broke my heart, but it was a sad reality for me. And so, me hearing that yesterday was, okay, what now? This was what I was holding on to, the hope of actually getting a conviction."

"I wept, and I said, God, this feels like they're killing my son all over again. The pain felt like it was happening all over again."

"I think that people need to be held accountable for stuff because if you are put in a position where you are responsible to ensure that this case is investigated thoroughly, over turn every stone. And that is done. On that day of trial, how do you feel with that person or the victim's family walking away without any kind of justice. How do you feel?"

As you heard, Young was hyper critical of Crown Counsel Portia Ferguson, who prosecuted the case. This evening, we reached her by telephone for a comment, and she asserted that contrary to what this grieving mother has said, she was well prepared to prosecute this case, and that she and her boss, DPP Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, had extensive discussions on how best to lead the prosecution against Flores, given that they only 1 eyewitness to testify.

We were told that DPP Vidal is currently on leave, and we'll wait and see if her office decides to appeal Flores' acquittal at the Court of Appeal.

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