Jury Finds Belize City Mother Legally Insane, Unfit for Trial

A jury of nine, three men and six women, has ruled that Natalie Palacio, a Belize City mother of four, is insane and not fit to stand trial, bringing an unexpected end to a highly sensitive case in which she was accused of maiming her 7-year-old son.  The fitness-to-stand-trial hearing concluded late this morning before the High Court. The jurors entered the deliberation room at 10:06 a.m., and by 10:35 a.m., they returned with a unanimous verdict of Palacio is unfit to be tried.  The decision means Palacio will not face trial at this time and is legally considered “set free” from the criminal process, unless the court later orders otherwise following medical reviews.  Palacio was accused of causing a serious maim to her young son, who reportedly suffered injuries to his eyes, resulting in the loss of vision in one eye. The severity of the alleged act triggered a mandatory mental fitness inquiry, especially since Palacio had undergone multiple psychiatric evaluations.  Those evaluations were conducted by Dr. Alejandro Matus/Torres, a former psychiatric specialist with the Ministry of Health. His assessments formed a critical part of the evidence presented to the jury regarding Palacio’s mental status.  Before sending the matter to deliberation, the presiding judge instructed jurors that their decision must be based solely on whether the evidence convinced them, beyond reasonable doubt, that Palacio was (1) Insane and unfit to stand trial, in which case they must return a verdict of unfitness or (2) Not insane and fit to stand trial, in which case she would proceed to face the charge.  While she is no longer facing immediate prosecution, Palacio may be subject to ongoing medical supervision, consistent with procedures for defendants found unfit due to mental illness. The court is expected to issue further instructions for her continued care.