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Cop Charged for Manslaughter, Attorney Blames Training For Killing
posted (July 31, 2019)

Police Corporal Kent Martinez is the police officer who allegedly fired the fatal shot that killed Alyson Major Jr two weeks ago.  

Well, today, he went to court. And even though the media was camped out there all day, we can’t show you any quality picture or video of him at court - because - as they always do - the police protected their own.  Through diversion and trickery, they shielded him from the media at every turn. Sad, but it’s standard behavior when a cop is charged.  

But he couldn’t hide from the magistrate.  Martinez appeared before Magistrate Michelle Trapp where he was charged with manslaughter by negligence. It is a bailable offence, nowhere near as serious as murder.  He was offered bail of fifteen thousand dollars, which is considered a relatively high bail.  

He appeared with his attorney Dickie Bradley said he will challenge the evidence police put forward.  

Richard "Dickie" Bradley - Attorney for Corporal Kent Martinez
"It's all about evidence and so one reliable source has said that there was 2 police vehicles chasing Alyson Major and there were more than one police officer who was shooting. The fact that a charge has been brought against Corporal Martinez would indicate that the government lawyers are looking at information available to them that he would have been the one that fired the fatal shot. What they took into account to decide he did not intend to kill, we don't have access to that information. So, I would think that some level of ballistic would confirm that officer Martinez discharges his firearm but that there is no evidence that he intended to kill. I have said this that ordinarily if you shoot somebody in the foot if you aim for their foot and you catch them in their foot, clearly you are not trying to kill them. If you aim for their chest and you aim for their head and you shoot them, you must want to kill them, a bullet will pierce your heart or lungs or vital organs; however this is a pursuit, this is a chase. One vehicle is in front, the police are at the back. What is the real question is what is the training that giving to police officers when should they pull out their firearm, when should they be discharging their firearm. Now it turns out, a good descent man, a teacher, a father, a husband, lost his life allegedly over some weed. You kill a man for weed! It's easy for us to say charge the officer with murder, charge them - what about those who have not put in place proper policies to ensure that we are protected out here? Innocent children could have been on the street when they are shooting at a man, shoot at a man for weed Anita? Come on man, how low can we go. Why we the fight weed? Isn't there a law that everybody could have up to 10 grams? Why are we fighting down weed like that? I'm expressing the frustration we all feel out here, that over and over again, police abuse is leading to major problems."

"Now, we're seeing where we're losing lives over these matters because there's no proper training, no proper policy. You can't put hot headed people for work out in the street; you can't put brutal people to work out in the street. Nothing stops the wife and the family of Alyson Major from suing the police department and I would guarantee you a judge will in fact order that the police department and the slack government of Belize which is doing nothing about these matter to pay money to that family. Money can't bring back Alyson, can't bring him back. We need to, at least his death will not be in vain if we start to put in place proper procedures to the citizens could feel safe then they're dealing with police officers."

Martinez is a police officer of 17 years.  

One of the conditions of bail is that he must surrender all of his travel documents to the court. A second condition is that he is to report to Queen Street Police Station every Wednesday until the matter is completed. His case was adjourned until September 30.

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