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Cornelio Martinez of Independence Village, Stann Creek District, was sentenced to nine years in prison for the killing of Christon Logan back in January 2024. Martinez was initially charged for murder, but that charge was downgraded to manslaughter to which he pleaded guilty on August 4. It is a ruling that the family of the deceased finds satisfactory. One of the sisters of the deceased, Classique Linarez, spoke to Correspondent Harry Arzu, on the sentencing and the downgrading of the charge.
Classique Linarez, Sister of Christon Logan: “I am really grateful that I feel pleased that the justice system didn’t fail us today. Mr.Martinez got nine years in prison and this is just to show other people and other families who are hurt by things like this to never give up. God never ever fails his people and that is what I want to say.”
Reporter: One of the things that you were focusing on at one point or were upset about was how the charge ended up from murder to manslaughter.
Classique Linarez, Sister of Christon Logan: “Yes sir because the last news I looked at it as an execution style murder. I mean how could you get over this man and shoot him ten times, ten times and you still have your brother stomp him in his face, beat him up while he’s down on the ground gasping for breath in front of three police officers ?”
As it relates to the substantive matter, Attorney Dickie Bradley, explained that there were sufficient reasons to downgrade the charge. He also spoke of the initial murder charge that was brought against both Martinez, and his brother, Ernesto.
Richard “Dickie” Bradley, Attorney: “Originally the police charged murder but a second look at the facts and additional statements that the police were able to obtain the law has been that you are charged for murder and there is an alternative charge available which would have to be manslaughter. The person, Cornelio Martinez who was represented by another attorney was just like one of those drones passing through this morning and assisted a little so he pled guilty on the 4th or 7th of August. So what the judge did is to the two families who came out in full force explained in great details what was involved in the matter. The young man who lost his life had a firearm, there was an argument out of a night club, chances are both of them were drinking alcohol so their ability to restrain themselves is weakened. The person who pled guilty was sentenced to nine years imprisonment from around 18 to 15 years and the law required that the learned trial judge deduct, if you plead guilty they deduct one third so that is one third off of the total sentence and the judge is required to look at other factors. His brother was charged by the police, they were both wrongly charged for murder. The brother had kicked the person when he had fell to the ground that is not murder. Kicking somebody is not murder. He didn’t haul out no gun, he wasn’t around telling his brother shoot him, there is nothing for murder.”
Logan was a Belizean American killed in 2024 just outside the Heartbeat Nightclub in Mango Creek, Stann Creek District.
English (US) ·