CCJ Reinstates Manslaughter Convictions of Former Belize Police Officers

Belize’s highest appellate court, the Caribbean Court of Justice, has reinstated the manslaughter convictions of two former Belizean police officers.  The ruling, delivered on Friday, April 10, overturned a previous decision by the Belize Court of Appeal and sends the matter back for sentencing.  The case centers on former officers Hallet King and Leonard Nunez, who were originally convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of Hilbert Sotz while he was in police custody. Following their conviction at trial, both men were sentenced to nine months’ imprisonment. However, that decision was later overturned by the Court of Appeal, which found that the trial judge had erred in instructing the jury and in admitting certain photographic evidence.  The Crown, led by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, challenged that ruling before the CCJ, arguing that the Court of Appeal had wrongly set aside the convictions.  When the matter came up before the CCJ earlier this year, the respondents conceded one of the main grounds of appeal, specifically that the Court of Appeal had been wrong in its interpretation of the legal requirements for manslaughter. That left the regional court to determine whether photographs presented during the trial were unfairly prejudicial.  In its detailed reasons, the CCJ found that the photographs were relevant and formed part of the overall body of evidence. The judges concluded that the jury was entitled to rely on those images in determining whether the officers caused the harm that led to Sotz’s death.  As a result, the CCJ allowed the Crown’s appeal and reinstated the manslaughter convictions against both men. The case has now been sent back to the Court of Appeal, which will determine the appropriate sentence to be imposed.