Hung Jury in Viral Police Abuse Trial

A tense courtroom drama is unfolding tonight at the High Court in Belize City, where a jury is deep in deliberation over the fate of two former police officers accused of a shocking abuse of power. The case involves fifty-one-year-old Jason Shawn and forty-four-year-old Leslie Martinez, both once members of the Belize Police Department. They’re on trial for willful oppression, a serious charge that stems from an incident back in April 2020. Here’s what the prosecution says happened: the officers allegedly stumbled upon a couple having sex in an abandoned house and, instead of intervening professionally, they reportedly forced the couple to continue while they filmed the act. That video didn’t just stay private, it was shared in a police WhatsApp group and eventually went viral, sparking public outrage. Today, a jury made up of eight women and one man began deliberating at 2:49 p.m. Before long, they returned with questions, specifically asking Justice Candace Nanton to clarify what exactly constitutes willful oppression. The judge broke it down for them, explaining the legal definition and the elements of the charge, along with a review of the Crown’s evidence. But by 4:16 p.m., the jury came back again, this time with a split decision: five in favor, four against. That’s what’s known in legal terms as a hung jury. Justice Nanton told them she was prepared to discharge them, but not just yet. She reminded them that they hadn’t reached the full two-hour deliberation mark and sent them back in to try again. At 4:39 p.m., the jurors returned to the deliberation room, still trying to reach a unanimous verdict. This trial began on October twentieth, with the Crown calling several witnesses, including the couple involved, now in their late forties and early fifties, and a fellow officer who was granted immunity to testify against his colleagues. That officer, Villamil, had his charges dropped earlier this year and told the court he was walking away from the scene when he saw the others filming. Defense attorney Leroy Banner represented the accused officers, while Crown Counsel Robert Lord led the prosecution. Both Shawn and Martinez deny the allegations, claiming they never forced anyone to do anything. We’ll continue to follow this story closely and bring you updates as soon as the jury reaches a decision, or if the judge decides to discharge them.