7 News Belize

Zane Galvez And The Law, Part 10
posted (December 4, 2012)
There was a commotion outside the Supreme Court this morning after a man was allegedly beaten up by police officers and then taken away to the Queen Street police Station.

Turns out it's the Zane Galvez - Yolanda Shakron's nephew - who's had a long history of violent encounters with police.

In fact, that's why he was at court! To appear for a lawsuit he filed against the police department after the GSU officers broke his arm on George Street in the famous incident in August of 2011.

But while out at court things got heated up - reportedly over a parking spot - and instead of attending his court case, Galvez was thrown in jail for allegedly assaulting a police officer.

We caught up with his family this morning who were disturbed at the fact that their loved one was locked up in a holding cell and was allegedly refused medical attention.

Jermyn Galvez, brother of Zane Galvez
"They wake me a little bit after 9 o' clock and told me that I should go check on my brother because the police had chance him and police were beating him. I rush over at the courthouse with a worker who worked for my father and when I reach there everyone was telling me that Castillanos and another police officer chance him for nothing. I know Castillanos because he used to work as a security guard for us couple years ago. I went to him and ask him about my little brother and he started cursing me, he said, 'do not ask the officer nothing and don't ask anyone out here anything because nobody have to answer to you, you are nobody out here,' he started to tripped on me, so I just walk away from him. A lady called me and told me that they chance my brother, she says that she was there and that she saw everything. She told me that she will not shut up because she is tired of seeing people getting chance for nothing."

"Another lady at the parking booth told me the same thing. She told me that it was Castillanos and another police officer chance my brother for nothing. He was parking there and he told the officer that he has to go to court because he has a case where he was suing the police department. The police slammed the door on him and push him against the vehicle and handcuffed him, beat him and then drag and throw him in the cell. They didn't want him to go to his court case until afterwards they allow him to go deal with his court case. He is still locked up right now. They say that they want to charge him for aggravated assault on a prison officer because a prison bus was parked when he reversed by it. It's the traffic people that told him that he could have parked there."

"The same lady who were telling me the story - the same Castillanos called a police mobile and told them to take her to the station and lock her up. When they putting her in the mobile Castillanos told the officers to punch her in the mouth on the way to the station for talking against us."

Reporter
"You heard this?"

Jermyn Galvez
"Yes, everyone who was out there heard it including the other ladies that were with the same lady that the officers took."

Reporter
"This brave eyewitness was taken by the police?"

Jermyn Galvez
"Yes."

Reporter
"For what?"

Jermyn Galvez
"For nothing, just because she was saying that the police are chancy and that she was telling us what happen and because she had pointed the two officers that did it."

Reporter
"You are not been able so far to see your brother?"

Jermyn Galvez
"I saw him. His right hand was swollen and he told us that he was in a lot of pain. We are asking the officers to please allow him to go to the hospital so that a doctor can check his hand. They don't want to do it; they say that they have authority to do that. Castillanos gave them strict orders that they should not release this man and Castillanos went about his business. We are trying to reach the higher ranking officers in the station but they say that they had send for him (Castillanos) for about an hour now. We were there waiting, his right hand is swollen up and big."

Reporter
"Isn't this the same hand that was broken before?"

Jermyn Galvez
"Yes the same hand."

Martin Galvez, father of Zane Galvez
"About half an hour ago I call on a higher officer on Queen Street and he explain to me that Zane has not been brought there yet, as soon as Zane is brought there - he is lock up at the courthouse detention room - they are going to charge him if he has to be charge and they are going to send him to the hospital to get medical attention. But at this point is hasn't happen - it's been over two hours that he has been beaten up."

Reporter
"Charge for what?"

Martin Galvez
"I don't know. He didn't explain to me what charge they had on him. A lady officer Anderson was sending a message that I should take Zane's vehicle to the police station. I called my lawyer and he advises me not to take any car there because they don't have any reason to have Zane's car in the police holdup. I don't know why they want the vehicle. Probably they want to plant something in the vehicle and then when we drive out the vehicle they are going to arrest him for something - i don't know. You know how police men work in Belize, it's sad but what can we do."

Reporter
"For you is this another case whereby police overuse of their authority?"

Martin Galvez
"Oh yeah, it's a blatant use of abuse. They always do it. Every time you see it, you hear it, they go and fabricate stories, they threaten witnesses - they are going to come and plant something on you - they are going to get you one way or the other. That's how police work; they act like a gang sometimes. It's sad, we don't need that. I am always ready to cooperate with the policemen at all times. I am a Justice of the Peace - they call me out of my bed sometimes to sign things for them - I do it. If tomorrow I see a crime or something I'll be the first to help them in solving the crime and stuff. I don't have any problem with the police department. The problems I have are these rogue cops that go around beating on innocent people. They don't have to beat on anybody, especially on my kids. It really bothers me now. I am going to get advice from my lawyers and if we have to sue them again, we are going to do it, I won't stop. Every time they do my sons anything - I have a message for the commissioner - I'll get on the media, I will. I hold it down too long. The officer who were allege to kill Chris used to come and threaten my family in this yard before he committed what they allege that he did - he use to come and threaten me and I never went to the media, I should have gone, probably Chris would be alive today. This is what I am going to do every time - this is message I am sending to the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of Police - please stop harassing my family, I am asking you - all you rogue cops stop harassing my son."

We understand that Zayne Galvez is still detained by police and will be charged with assaulting a police officer. Police Press Officer, Raphael Martinez told 7news that he will have the police side of the story tomorrow.

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