Deaf Man Granted Bail on Five Charges in Belize City

A thirty-six-year-old man described in court as a deaf mute has been granted bail after being arraigned in Belize City on five criminal charges, including theft and resisting lawful arrest.

The accused, Marlon Winston Pollard, a resident of the Lords Bank area in Ladyville, appeared before Mannon Dennison in Court Number Six earlier this week. Because Pollard is hearing and speech impaired, the court provided a sign language interpreter to communicate the charges and proceedings.  According to court reports, Pollard was formally read five charges: theft, harm, resisting lawful arrest, aggravated assault, and wounding.  Prosecutors allege that Pollard stole a cellular phone valued at fourteen hundred dollars and a Wi-Fi extension valued at eighty-nine dollars, totaling approximately one thousand four hundred eighty-nine dollars, belonging to complainant Taran Mahitani. He is also accused of causing harm to Mahitani, resisting the lawful arrest of Police Constable Kevin Williams while the officer was carrying out his duties, committing aggravated assault against the same officer, and wounding another individual identified as Alton Chanel.  During the arraignment, Pollard pleaded not guilty to all five charges.  The Senior Magistrate granted Pollard bail in the sum of three thousand dollars for each charge, with one surety of the same amount. As part of the bail conditions, he has been ordered not to contact the complainant and to remain at least one hundred feet away from the individuals involved in the case.  Pollard is scheduled to return to court on May 5, as the matter continues through the judicial process.