By Breaking Belize News Staff: Just weeks after walking free from a murder charge, 23-year-old Jamal Brackett is back behind bars—this time accused of discharging a firearm in public.
Brackett, a construction worker of Mayflower Street, Belize City, appeared unrepresented on Tuesday morning before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1, where he was read a single charge of discharging a firearm in public. The allegation is that on Friday, February 20, 2026, he wantonly and unlawfully discharged a firearm in a public area.
Although Brackett initially pleaded not guilty, he requested a sentencing indication from the court to determine what prison time he would face if he changed his plea to guilty. The matter was stood down until 2:00 p.m.
When court resumed, the Chief Magistrate explained that the starting point for the offense is eight years. After assessing the circumstances and applying a one-third discount for an early guilty plea, along with consideration for having no previous convictions for a similar offense, Brackett would face four years’ imprisonment.
The court outlined that discharging a firearm in public is considered a serious Level A offense under the new sentencing guidelines. The Chief Magistrate noted that the firearm was discharged to cause terror and involved live rounds of ammunition. She also pointed out that Brackett allegedly attempted to conceal the firearm and that another individual assisted in hiding it from police. No mitigating factors were found, aside from the potential early guilty plea.
However, upon hearing he would face prison time, Brackett rejected the sentencing indication and maintained his not guilty plea. He told the court he had been hoping for a fine and claimed his family possesses opposing video footage showing that someone else was the gunman. According to Brackett, the video clearly shows the face of the individual who discharged the firearm.
Due to the nature of the offense, bail was denied, and Brackett was remanded to the Belize Central Prison until May 5, 2026. He was informed of his right to apply for bail at the High Court after 90 days with the assistance of an attorney.
Police allege that on February 20, 2026, at approximately 11:45 p.m., while on patrol, officers received information of shots fired in the Mayflower Street area. Camera footage reportedly showed three men, one identified as Brackett, receiving a firearm from another male who remained inside a nearby house. The individual was seen firing several shots before returning the firearm.
Police later searched the home of Jaheim Sanchez, where a 9mm pistol was found. Sanchez was arraigned yesterday for kept unlicensed firearm and kept unlicensed ammunition. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded to prison.
Authorities also recovered seven 9mm expended shells and two live rounds at the scene. Brackett was initially detained and released but was later re-arrested and formally charged on Monday, February 23, 2026.
Brackett had only recently regained his freedom on January 12, 2026, after the Director of Public Prosecutions withdrew a 2025 murder charge against him in connection with the death of 61-year-old mason Carlos Avelar. He had spent eight months on remand before that charge was discontinued.
The post Recently released from murder charge, Jamal Brackett pleads not guilty to ‘busting gun’ in public after rejecting 4 year sentencing indication appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Just weeks after walking free from a murder charge, 23-year-old Jamal Brackett is back behind bars—this time accused of discharging a firearm in public. Brackett, a construction worker of Mayflower Street, Belize City, appeared unrepresented on Tuesday morning before the Chief Magistrate in Court #1, where he was read a
The post Recently released from murder charge, Jamal Brackett pleads not guilty to ‘busting gun’ in public after rejecting 4 year sentencing indication appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
