Last week, we were closely following the case of 21 year-old Kevin Brown, the basketballer from Camalote Village. You'll remember him as the island visitor who was mobbed and beaten by a group more than 10 men on Sunday August 6, during the Costa Maya weekend.
In that fight, near the Banana Beach Resort, he suffered a massive blow to the head, and he's still recovering from that injury. Well, police say that he and other eyewitnesses have given statements naming his attackers, and it's a surprising turn of events.
Police have issued warrants for the arrest of Gilbert Franklin Jr., James Young Jr. and Jafari Castro, son of UDP Area Rep. Edmond Castro. While Castro is the headline name - because of his father, the names of the other suspect's fathers: Gilly Franklin and James Young Sr are also very well known in Belize City.
That report from the Police Press Office was released over the weekend, and immediately, the media started pressing the public relations personnel for an explanation.
That's because, as we told you, on Thursday they were insisting in the strongest terms that the Castro boys were in no way involved in Kevin Brown's unfortunate beatdown. The only member of the press office who pointed in the direction of the Castro boys was Inspector Fitzroy Yearwood, and within hours after he released that information, he was transferred from the Police Press Office.
The Police Department has again insisted that the information on the Kevin Brown incident is in no way connected to Yearwood's transfer, and today, the acting commander of Eastern Division called a press conference to make that point emphatically.
We'll get to that, but first, here is what he had to say on those warrants of arrest for the 3 main suspects:
ACP Edward Broaster- Acting OC, Eastern Division North
"I can tell you that the investigation has led us to the issuance of 3 warrants for Jafari Castro, Gilbert Franklin and James Young. A couple days ago we managed to record a statement from Mr. Kevin Brown. And, we've gotten statements from other witnesses, which have enabled us to issue these warrants."
Isani Cayetano - Ch 5 News
"Can you get us a status as to whether or not he has been arrested?"
ACP Edward Broaster
"He has not been arrested as yet."
Daniel Ortiz
"And the other persons who are under warrants for arrest?"
ACP Edward Broaster
"[They] are being sought."
Daniel Ortiz
"And not located as yet."
ACP Edward Broaster
"No, Gilbert Franklin, and James Young."
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