Gladden Stands Alone as Judge Rejects No‑Case Claim

A Belize City man at the center of a violent 2020 shooting will remain on trial, after a judge ruled that the evidence against him is strong enough to proceed. Instead of focusing on the legal back‑and‑forth, the heart of this case lies in a survivor’s determination to be heard, even from thousands of miles away. Twenty‑six‑year‑old Michael “Wannie” Gladden is accused of helping carry out a brazen attack where thirty‑three‑year‑old Karen Pinto was chased and shot at by two men. Pinto fled Belize and now lives in the United States, where she has sought asylum, but she still testified last Friday via video link, describing how she jumped into a swamp and played dead to stay alive. Her attorney argued she misidentified Gladden. Prosecutors countered that Pinto knew him well, over a year before the attack, and recognized him before, during, and after the shooting. They say Gladden didn’t just witness the attack; he stayed by the shooter’s side the entire time and even urged him to leave, reportedly saying, “She done dead, let’s go.” Justice Candace Nanton agreed the case should continue, rejecting a no‑case submission from Gladden’s attorney, Ian Gray. Gladden now stands alone in the dock; his co‑accused, Deandre Adolphus, was killed in an unrelated shooting more than a year after the attack. Gladden chose to remain silent when it was his turn to offer a defense. Both sides will file written submissions next, and Justice Nanton is expected to deliver her decision on March twelfth at two p.m.