The attorney for a Belizean farmer, who shot dead two trespassers on his farm, is asking the country’s chief prosecutor to release his client, given the circumstances of the shootings.
According to The Reporter newspaper, Hubert Elrington, the attorney for Edison Johnson, the farmer, has revealed that he’s written to the Director of Public Prosecutions to get his client out of jail on one of two options: either for the charges to be reduced to manslaughter so he can seek bail for his client, or for the charges to be dismissed based on legal precedent.
Elrington reportedly said that in “a clear case such as this” the DPP could declare it to be a justifiable homicide if she feels that the circumstances are reasonable.
Two intruders
On Sunday police arrested and charged Johnson with the murder of the two intruders.
Johnson reportedly told police that, around 5:45 p.m. on Friday he encountered two men burglarizing his property. He said he fired a shot from his licensed 12-gauge shotgun in the direction of the two men. Johnson recalled seeing one of the men falling to the ground after he fired the shot.
When the police arrived, they found the body of 23-year-old Luke Cox of Carmelita Village. They also recovered one 12-guage expended cartridge. Cox was transported to the Northern Regional Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:23 p.m.
The following morning the police visited Johnson’s farm again and found the body of 24-year-old Saul Garcia from Rhaburn Ridge Village, approximately 300 yards from where Cox was found.
Long wait
The attorney reportedly expressed grave concern that his client could have a long wait in detention while his case makes its way through the court system. He added that many times cases like these end up going to a jury and can take up to five years for trial to start before the accused is found innocent and acquitted.
Elrington said that he was aware of instances in which, accused persons waited up to 11 years for their trial to begin.
According to the attorney, his client, who was with his son at the time of the confrontation, discovered that the men had done extensive damage to his property, upon which he made several calls to police.
While he waited, according to Elrington, the men returned in a truck and were armed with machetes. Johnson reportedly ordered them to stop but they ignored him.
According to Elrington this was when Johnson, faced with the decision to protect his life, his son’s life and the integrity of his property, took action against the intruders.
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