Mail on Sunday stated that Jemmott took some time away from his job, wife, and kids, and Hartin offered him a stay at the Grand Colony hotel in a luxury villa right on the beach, which is run by her husband. The slain cop along with his pal Pacheco arrived at the hotel on May 26. Pacheco is a jeweler and also the killer of his neighbor Jose Villanueva. According to reports, in 2018, he fatally shot Villanueva four times. He was in jail until his murder trial in February 2020. However, Pacheco was acquitted after the judge believed that he murdered Villanueva in self-defense.
Instead, she has been charged with manslaughter by negligence, one of the least serious offenses available. It is likely that such a charge doesn t come with jail time, but merely a fine, which she could pay. The news hasn t gone down well with Jemmot s family, or many others on social media who claim Hartin was let off because of her connections.
How much will Hartin have to pay?
According to The Daily Mail, Hartin could choose to plead guilty to the charge in court. If she does, she will simply have to pay the fine of 20,000 Belizean dollars (around US$10,000), before she is allowed to walk free. That s a far cry from manslaughter, which comes with a 25-year jail sentence. Manslaughter by negligence carries a potential jail term of five years, but the fine is believed to be a more likely option.
Meanwhile, according to an unverified report on Belize television, the 38-year-old accused will be pressed with manslaughter charges as she confessed to investigators she mistakenly fired off the Glock pistol while she was giving it to Jemmott. A cop who reportedly first responded to the scene after the incident claimed that the slain officer fell onto Hartin after being hit by the bullet, but the woman pushed him off and he fell into the water.
Lord Ashcroft attends a Reunion Service for The Victoria And George Cross Association at St Martin in the Fields on September 9, 2008 in London. (Photo by Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)