Danny Mason and his former employees turned accomplices were back at the supreme Court in Belmopan today. Mason and three of them have been found guilty of murder, but, now, Mason, Keiron Fernandez, Ashton Vanegas, and Ernest Castillo, and Mason's farmhand, Ryan Rhaburn must stand trial for kidnapping.
That is another criminal trial and it will be heard before a new judge, because Justice Antoinette Moore has been transferred to Dangriga.
They are accused of kidnapping Canadian Lloyd Friessen and his wife Rosie. Friessen, who was a major grain producer operating out of Spanish Lookout, claims that Mason conned him out of 300 thousand dollars, and then lured him and his wife to Mason's Intelco Hill home. They say that Mason and his associates kidnapped them and took them to Mason's ranch, where he threatened them.
The case came up for management today, but it was stalled because three of the men have no attorney. Norman Rodriguez who is the attorney for Ashton Vanegas explained:
Norman Rodriguez, Attorney for Ashton Vanegas
"We came for a case management and one attorney recused himself for Mr. Mason and Ernest Castillo, and the other defendant Keiron Fernandez also had no attorney at this time. So the judge and the court had no option but to adjourn the matter to give them an opportunity to secure legal counsel or legal representation and that is what basically happened this morning. We came to court expecting to do the case management conference but it did not happen for those reasons."
Mason's attorney Dexter Todd sent a letter to the court to say that he is no longer representing Mason in court.
This case has been adjourned to March when Kerion Fernandez,
Mason, and Ernest Castillo are expected to have attorneys or represent themselves. Ryan Rahburn, is represented by Attorney Simeon Sampson.
Also in March, Justice Moore will dish out the sentence for the murder of Pastor Lu by Mason and his associates.
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