Year: 2012

The Mishandling of Jasmine Lowe’ Investigation Part 2 by: Aria Lightfoot

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Jasmine Lowe

I spoke to my source close to the investigation last night to get a feel of what is happening now. The pathologist (not forensic pathologist) could not determine a cause of death.  Not surprising, he is not an expert in that field of forensics, so I learned last night.  And BTW, Belize law does not require a forensic specialist to examine murdered bodies; only a medical doctor is needed. Meaning, he was never trained to determine cause of death that is not obvious. I feel like my head is spinning. I feel like screaming WTF.  Can this murder even be solved, if they cannot establish a murder even happened? Everything following that evaluation seems to be a big waste of time.

According to my source, the police are looking for blood and fingerprinting evidence in the car they impounded to find clues that may link little Jasmine presence in the taxi.  Sounds good right? WRONG.  Let me remind you that they didn’t take any evidence from Jasmine. No fluids or fingerprinting, no rape kits, nada so making that link would be a feat even gods would find impossible. Not to mention, as Faye stated in her dingle berry,  the investigating officer is making wide assumptions about what happened based on observations he can neither prove nor disprove.

So now they have a “suspect” who may or may not be the murderer. The public fears are somewhat alleviated. Please don’t let your guard down now. At this stage, the public need to be very cautious and aware as to the person the police presents to them.  The police is desperate for a solution making the environment ripe for a scapegoat.  Criminals in Belize laugh at our poor investigative skills.

So we reach the point where we take the defendant to court. Enter the defense attorney.  Remember, a person is innocent until proven otherwise. It is the State’s job to prove him guilty.  The state cannot even establish a murder happened. According to the pathologist, he cannot establish a cause of death.  How do we know how she died? She could have died from a sunstroke! I don’t mean to be facetious but in court, it is not what you know, it is what you can prove.  The most essential part of the case is ruined unless they can determine conclusively that she was in fact murdered.

My Belizeans, it is not only about attending the vigils and crying and complaining. It is about asking the right questions, demanding action and becoming an active and vigilant member of society. Political will comes from the people.  When people are arrested for murders, find out what the pathologist did; what evidence and procedures were followed. Ask the police what protocols they followed. Find out the applicable laws. We cannot allow “professionals” to be beyond reproach anymore, since I recently discovered the man reporting on’ causes of death’ is no professional in forensics. Our children, families, neighbors and fellow citizens’ deaths are turning into sad unresolved statistics.  Your family WILL be next  if this continues unabated.

I make a desperate plea to members of the Belize Bar Association with police background to come on board and help fix our broken system.  I call on all politicians to take off their political hats and put on their Belizean one to solve this crisis. As I write this, two more bodies have been found, possibly the two teenage boys missing. Their cause of death will be obvious, since it appears they were shot. What about little Jasmine?  We still have no idea how she died and what she endured.

We are a part of a greater plan in this world, even if we don’t know our purpose.  It seems that it took the murder of little Jasmine to move us as a nation; she is the sacrificial angel we needed to realize that our antiquated laws do not equip the police and prosecutors to fight these murderers who rein free in Belize. I am mad at everyone, including myself, to be in slumber for so long, but finger pointing causes this. It takes away your personal responsibility and cast it elsewhere.  Please do not lose sight of this movement for Jasmine.

Tonight the nation will mourn collectively as vigils all over the country are taking place. All will begin at  6pm. Everyone is asked to bring a candle and a white T-Shirt to show solidarity. Let the conversations begin there.

San Ignacio/Santa Elena – in front of Police Station

Belmopan – National Assembly

Belize City – Battlefield Park

Punta Gorda- Central Park

Placencia – in front of Police Station

Belize City Will Have A Vigil For Jasmine Lowe

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From the archives of Channel 7 News Belize

 

 

Candle-Light For Jasmine In City As Well
posted (June 8, 2012)

On Saturday night, the Cayo community will have a vigil for Jasmine Lowe – the 12 year old girl who was murdered earlier this week. The disturbing murder has left many Belizeans in shock, and paralyzed by fear. But it has spurred one citizen into action. Dianne Finnegan stopped by our studios today to encourage Belizeans to stand in solidarity and protest against the violence. She told us how you can do your part:Dianne Finnegan 
“When I heard the announcement about the vigil in Cayo, even though the outcry is tremendous nationwide, all of us won’t be able to go to Cayo and so what better way of expressing our solidarity than right where we are at.”

“I am asking that countrywide you go to your nearby park – you choose a place that you would like to hold this vigil. Come out with your candle and t-shirt. This is not just about Jasmine, this is about standing in solidarity and saying we’ve got to do something and I think we’ve been settling for too long.”

“If we don’t do something now I think what we are doing is actually inviting and saying it’s okay we can deal with, it’s going to last just a few days and then we go on as business as usual. No, as a mother, for me the sadness continues – the cry continues that we’ve got to stand in solidarity with parents, with mothers who are out there really feeling this hurt.”

The candlelight ceremony in the Belize district will begin at 7 tomorrow evening at the Battlefield Park to coincide with the simultaneous candlelight vigil in San Ignacio Town.

Daily Dingleberry 06-09-12 Just when Mary K Cariddi Was Talking Me Off The Soapbox, THIS ISH HAPPENS!

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Ok…so Mary K Cariddi or Aunt Kathy to me, sort of “put me to rights” yesterday when I decried the incompetence of our police force. She was quick to point out that there are many good, honest, “want to do the right thing” police officers out there who can’t because they lack training, leadership and proper funding/resources. I agreed because that is true and I wasn’t actually talking about individual police officers. I was talking about the whole system. Ok so we came to that place where we could both see that we were on the same page.

BUT THEN……..

I read the transcript from Channel 7 News and my ire went right back up. Sorry Aunt Kath but I do have to go after an individual police officer and yes I know that he is not all etc……

Reporter
“With respect to speculations; the girl may have been rape. That was also inconclusive as well?”

 

Senior Superintendent Chester Williams
“Yes that was also inconclusive but I doubt pretty much that she was rape because I don’t see a rapist raping a child and then putting back on her clothes so perfectly because her clothes was totally intact. It doesn’t seem to have been tampered with. I am not saying that she was not rape but I doubt she was.”


 

 

HOW CAN HE SAY ANY OF THIS WITHOUT SOLID FUCKIN FORENSIC PROOF????? O wait..WE DON’T HAVE ANY!!!!!!

Look Mistah Senior Superintendent Chestah Williams…I have no doubt that you are sincere and that you mean well but pretty please…don’t speculate. People are very angry and worried and fear for the safety of their children. Don’t come on here with no real evidence and give false hope, ok? And the powers that be, please train these people to know what t say and what not to say?!

Aye Yai Yai…..breathing…..

For full transcript: http://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=22649

 

Is Dr. Asphyxia qualified? by: Aria Lightfoot

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Medical Malpractice?

I received information today that is  quite a bit disconcerting.  I was told that our doctor who consistently reaches inconclusive results,   is not an actual forensic pathologist.  He never specialized in the field. I can neither confirm nor deny this information; however, if this information is true…He is operating in a field he has no expertise in whatsoever.  As tax payers I urge that you demand to know if this information is true. What are his credentials?  Is there some great ongoing miscarrying of justice? What happens to all those bodies he has examined in the past?  Who would be liable if such is the case? What is the solution? I demand answers. I demand that the people who should know, provide this information ASAP.  If this information is true…This is shocking, unacceptable and maybe even illegal! Jasmine deserve better.  Belize mainstream media, time to start asking the tough questions!

Mary K Cariddi Pushes For New Law

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Mary K Cariddi, a long time volunteer and activist, is calling all Belizeans to please help her to get a new law passed. Jasmine Lowe, the little girl who was found murdered on Wednesday, was last seen getting into a taxi on Monday afternoon. She was supposed to go to her mother’s salon to get ready for that evening’s Celebration of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee.

The fact that there is no uniformity in taxi cabs in Belize made getting an accurate description difficult. Mary wants to ensure that this sort of thing is never an impediment in an investigation ever again. She wants to make sure that we can be assured in knowing that we are dealing with honest, real cab drivers and not predators posing as one. Here is her proposal for Jasmine’s Taxi Law.

UN Guidelines On Handling Cases Involving Children

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Justice for All Children

Emotions are running high as people grapple with Jasmine Lowe’s brutal murder and now they shift into high gear as it seems that justice will not be done. As a result, many citizens have decided to take matters into their own hands as they form groups, propose legislation and draw up petitions. This is bringing into question just how does one go about that as we try to respect Jasmine’s memory, her family and her community while still aggressively pursuing the perpetrator? Following is the UN Guidelines provided us by fellow blogger CayoBuay from FiWeBelize.

Thanks CayoBuay for sharing this with us:

http://fiwebelize.com/2012/06/08/un-guidelines-on-justice-in-matters-involving-child-victims-and-witnesses-of-crime/

Vigil For Jasmine Lowe On Facebook

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For Jasmine Lowe and all other beautiful spirits touched by violence

There are two vigils and a memorial service being held for Jasmine Lowe:

Vigil: 06-08-12 at 6pm in front of the Police Station in San Ignacio

Memorial Service: 06-09-12 at 4pm Shining Light Baptist Church, Georgeville

Vigil: 06-09-12 at 7pm in front of the Police Station in San Ignacio

 

As an entire nation mourns the loss of this beautiful spirit, we are compelled to show our support for her family and community. Many of us are unable to attend because of living abroad or illness. It is with this in mind, that I ask all of you to join me in putting this picture of a burning candle as your profile picture.

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/424983814199853/

 

 

 

 

 

The Ball Is Rolling! Now Let’s Get Some Heads Rolling! 06-08-12

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ID Yourself Mistah!

Several of our citizens have been so touched by Jasmine Lowe’s story that they have already started petitions, Facebook Groups and are calling for new legislation. One such person is Mary K. Carridi. She herself has faced very tragic circumstances when her mother was brutally murdered. Here is her proposal, or one of them. This lady has many, many good ideas:

Mary K Cariddi idea…..TAXI
We need new laws governing Taxi`s. 1. All taxis should have a Number issued and be displayed on the front, back, and both sides of the taxi. 2. All taxi drivers should have a back ground check/police report, and should be a Belizean national. 3. Each district should have a set color and all taxis working in the district should be painted that color. 4. Each taxis should pay for an individual trade license in there town and a registry of the taxi number and who is licensed to drive that taxi should be sent out to all police and traffic departments. 5. a 4in x 8in photo ID should be displayed on the dashboard in clear view. 6. All Taxis should have Plexiglas partition between front and back seat. 7. All taxis should be inspected every six months.

This is the time y’all.