7 News Belize

When Will Bert Vasquez Have His Day In Court?
posted (February 4, 2016)
The name, Bert Vasquez, has gone mostly unreported for the past 3 years, but back in June and July 2012, he made national headlines after he was arrested and charged for the murder of 13 year-old Jasmine Lowe. It culminated in hundreds of residents of the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena camping out in front of the Police Station to him being detained, charged and criminally arraigned.

Well, since then, he's been on remand waiting for his day in court, but apart from that murder charge, he's facing 2 other cases where he's been accused of sexual offences. He went to court today for an adjournment before the Supreme Court, where it was to be decided when exactly he'll stand trial for the first of the 2 sex crimes accusations.

He has a new attorney, Oscar Selgado, who is taking over from Simeon Sampson, and this morning before that Supreme Court hearing, he granted the press an interview. He updated on his client's criminal trials:

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Bert Vasquez
"There are 3 cases against Bert Vasquez presently before the courts. The first one is murder and that will be tried in the Belmopan court. A date has not been set yet and then there are 2 other cases relating to sexual offences. One of them is before the Honorable Justice Lucas. I am here this morning because that case is schedule to be set down this morning before the Honorable Judge. We will set a trial date this morning and from there we will proceed. I am looking at a date in May. April is finish on the calendar, so we are looking at May for a trial of one of the sexual offences allegation against Bert Vasquez. I have not had full disclosure yet. I have only taken over the case from Mr. Simeon Sampson, senior counsel last week and so I am going through what I have of the disclosure and then Mr. Sampson will give me the remainder documents because he has them."

Mike Rudon, Ch5
"IS there anything you can tell us at this point about the specifics of the allegations being made against your client?"

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Bert Vasquez
"I wouldn't want to delve in that because I haven't had the opportunity to read the whole case file. So while I know it is sexual offences that he has been charge with."

It is expected that the murder charge for the death of Jasmine Lowe, which is the most serious offence Vasquez is facing, will be tried without a jury. At the time of his arrest, police were certain that they had a near airtight case against Vasquez. Well, his new attorney discussed a few details of the evidence he's seen in the police investigation file. He told us that in his opinion the prosecution only has circumstantial evidence to try to get a conviction for that charge.

Mike Rudon, Ch5
"We know that the forensic examination from the very onset was inconclusive. Something like that, would that play into your defense of your client?"

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Bert Vasquez
"Of course. Defense attorneys crave those opportunities and I for one having looked at what the media was saying at the time when now Senior Superintendent Chester Williams went out to the media and hailed that he has the person, he had the murderer and he had so much evidence. It was all bull. There is no such evidence before the court. There is no such evidence in the hands of the police. As a matter of fact all that the police is a very thin line of circumstantial evidence and the case law is saying that the threshold upon which circumstantial evidence can be used to convict will not be met in this case. It will not be met."

Mike Rudon, Ch5
"As you said the police had gone to say that that had actual evidence, material evidence which they had found on Bert Vasquez. So that is not so?"

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Bert Vasquez
"All of that is... None of that is in the disclosure and none of that is before the defense attorneys. So that what the police had said in the press conferences was just either to please public opinion, to satisfy public outrage at the time or merely shouting wolf."

Mike Rudon, Ch5
"We know that you have been very successful in the past dealing with murder cases. Do you feel that this will be one of those that your client will be set free based on what you've seen so far?"

Oscar Selgado, Attorney for Bert Vasquez
"I have in 2015 won 8 murder cases consecutively. There is no other attorney on the history books in Belize who have won 8 murder cases in one calendar year and I have done so because I prepare my case work, I do my ground work and I am certain, I am confident as a matter of fact that with Bert Vasquez murder charge, he will be set free."

We'll keep following his case as it goes to trial.

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