Posted: Monday, October 27, 2025. 9:22 pm CST.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: A jury of nine—eight women and one man—was unable to reach a verdict on Monday in the sensational trial of two former police officers accused of wilful oppression for allegedly forcing a couple to engage in sex while filming them. The case, which drew national attention after the video went viral on social media, has now ended in a hung jury and a retrial has been ordered.
The accused, 51-year-old Jason Shawn and 44-year-old Leslie Martinez, both interdicted members of the Belize Police Department, stood trial before Justice Candace Nanton in the High Court of Belize. They were charged with wilful oppression, stemming from an incident on April 5, 2020, in Belize City, where they allegedly abused their authority by coercing a couple to engage in sexual activity while being recorded.
The disturbing footage was reportedly shared in a police WhatsApp group and later leaked publicly, triggering widespread outrage and prompting the department to charge three officers. However, one of them—Anthony Villamil, who was 20 at the time—was later granted immunity by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) and testified against his colleagues during the trial.
Villamil told the court that upon realizing what was happening, he left the scene and waited in the police mobile. The couple, who also testified, confirmed they were having consensual sex but denied consenting to being filmed. Under cross-examination, the woman admitted she was having sex with the man for money.
The trial began last week Monday, October 20, with Crown Counsel Robert Lord representing the DPP’s Office and Attorney Leroy Banner defending the accused officers.
After hours of deliberation that began at 2:49 p.m., the jurors emerged multiple times with questions about the definition and elements of wilful oppression. Justice Nanton clarified the legal concepts and directed them to continue deliberating. However, by 5:51 p.m., the jurors reported they remained deadlocked at a 5–4 split and could not reach a unanimous verdict even with more time.
Justice Nanton then declared a hung jury and discharged the panel. The two accused officers, who have been out on bail since 2020, had their bail extended pending retrial.
It remains uncertain whether the retrial will be held before the same court or transferred to another jurisdiction.
The case—marked by conflicting testimony, sensitive subject matter, and leaked evidence—proved to be a challenging one for jurors, who emerged from deliberations visibly uncertain and seeking repeated clarification from the judge.
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The post Case for cops who forced couple to have sex on camera ends in hung jury; re-trial ordered as jury full of 8 women, 1 man split on verdict appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
Posted: Monday, October 27, 2025. 9:22 pm CST. By Breaking Belize News Staff: A jury of nine—eight women and one man—was unable to reach a verdict
The post Case for cops who forced couple to have sex on camera ends in hung jury; re-trial ordered as jury full of 8 women, 1 man split on verdict appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
