Bladen 12 Drug Plane Case Resumes

The Bladen 12, the men charged with facilitating the landing of a drug plane back in November 2021, were back in court today. The trial got off to a late start this morning as three of the accused, who were on remand at the Belize Central Prison, were delayed in being brought to court due to logistical issues. The prosecution called one witness today, a police corporal who was a part of the police detail on the night the men were arrested. The court also dealt with case management matters such as plans to visit the scene of the crime, called the locus. Prosecutor Alife Elrington explained that the visit to the locus is a procedure in criminal CASES that can be invoked by either side if doing so helps to support an aspect of the case being presented to the court. 

Alifa Elrington, Prosecutor: “A visit to the Locus can be asked for either the defense or the prosecution. In this case the prosecution requested the locus. There was particular evidence given during the testimony of our witness and based on that evidence I felt it was important and it was relevant to the voi dire that we actually visit the locus. Because we are going to visit the locus and we must always be fair to the accused persons what is required or what the prosecution must establish is that the locus has not changed in any significant way from the date of the incident. So that is what would have transpired. I would have needed somebody to go down or the witness who testified actually to the circumstances of the locus would have to go back, review the locus, see where the different areas that he was and he spoke of in his evidence and then be able to come back and tell the court if there was any change to it. So that again we addressed that this morning, the witness gave evidence that the locus has not substantially changed since November of 2021.”

When the case began back in February there were two weeks allotted for the trial; however, the case has been in a voir dire (a trial within a trial) for the past several months. That’s because the defense is challenging the caution statements given to police by several of the accused, on the grounds that police beat them into a confession. Elrington says that the voir dire is winding down and explains what will come next in the trial.

Alifa Elrington, Prosecutor: “Once the prosecution would have closed its case what then happens is the defense has to open their case and they have to do what it is that they have to do. So once the defense completes their case then the magistrate will make a determination after we have made submissions and I think today we agreed that submissions would be made well Mr.Banner would have preferred submissions to be oral so we’re just waiting on the court to determine whether or not it’s going to be written submissions or oral submissions at the close of the defense’ case. “

Reporter: Is the defense calling any witnesses ? 

Alifa Elrington, Prosecutor: “My understanding outside of the accused person, my understanding was no but of course that can change between now and when it is that they open their case.” 

The matter continues before Magistrate Baja Shoman, in the special courtroom designated for the case at the Charles Bartlett Hyde Building. Attorneys representing the Bladen 12 are Lindon Jones, Leroy Banner, and Dickie Bradley, who was not in court today.