By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City man accused of the 2024 murder of a Belize Coast Guard officer is out on bail after spending more than two years on remand awaiting trial.
Twenty-year-old Jaylon Jaydon Jones, who was 18 at the time he was charged, was granted bail on Monday by Justice Nigel Pilgrim in the High Court. Jones is accused of the April 10, 2024 murder of Coast Guard officer Charles Winston James, who was fatally shot on Consuelo Street in Belize City.
Jones’ attorney, Arielle Sabido, successfully secured bail for him in the amount of $16,000 plus four sureties of $4,000 each.
While the prosecution did not object to bail because of the circumstances surrounding the case, Crown Counsel informed the court that crucial forensic evidence remains outstanding. The court heard that blood samples considered important to the case are still in Belize and have not yet been sent to the United States for forensic analysis, as Belize does not have the capability to conduct the testing locally.
Because of the delay in the forensic process, Justice Pilgrim was unable to conclude Jones’ pre-trial hearing, which had already commenced, and no trial date could be set.
As part of his bail conditions, Jones was ordered to surrender all travel documents, report to a police station three times weekly — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. — and observe a nightly curfew from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Jones was first arraigned in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court on April 12, 2024 and had spent two years, three weeks and one day on remand before being granted bail.
The court noted that although persons charged with murder are often not granted bail until after spending at least three years on remand, Justice Pilgrim maintained that each case must be considered on its own circumstances and not strictly by the amount of time an accused person has spent behind bars.
Police reports state that officers responded to reports of gunfire on Consuelo Street at around 9:20 p.m. on April 10, 2024. Upon arrival, officers discovered the motionless body of Charles Winston James suffering from apparent gunshot injuries.
Investigators determined that James had reportedly been socializing with four other persons when two men approached, one of whom allegedly pulled out a firearm and opened fire in his direction.
Police said a subsequent exchange of gunfire between responding officers and the suspects resulted in one of the alleged gunmen being shot in the foot. That suspect was later identified as Jaylon Jones.
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By Breaking Belize News Staff: A Belize City man accused of the 2024 murder of a Belize Coast Guard officer is out on bail after spending more than two years on remand awaiting trial. Twenty-year-old Jaylon Jaydon Jones, who was 18 at the time he was charged, was granted bail on Monday by Justice Nigel
The post Alleged shooter in Charles James murder granted $16,000 High Court bail after more than two years on remand appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
