Lois M. Young LLB.( Hons.) Lond.
Solicitor and Barrister
No. 9 Ring Street
Belize City,Belize.
His Excellency the Governor
Belize House
Belmopan
P. O` box JOD
Tel. 2286
CONFIDENTIAL
27th June, 1977
Dear Sir,
Re:
Regina v. Leopold Jones and Leopold Jones v. Regina
In the exercise of your discretion as allowed by Article 28 of the British Honduras Letters Patent to
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
grant to any person concerned in or convicted of an offence a pardon, either free or subject to lawful conditions;
grant to any person a respite, either indefinite or for a specified period, from the execution of any punishment imposed on that person for any offence;
substitute a less severe form of punishment for that imposed by any sentence for any offence; or
remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on any person for any offence or any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the Crown on account of such an offence.
I respectfully request that your Excellency be advised of the following circumstances relating to the commission of the offence for which Leopold Jones was found by guilty on the 4th day of February 1977.
Mr. Jones originally approached me as his counsel for the trial by jury in the Supreme Court of Belize. He confided to me the true corcumstances of the incident resulting in the death of Luis Heredia, and which were never put to the jury by counsel who actually conducted the defence. Mr. Jones acknowledged his deep regret over the incident and that he had not intended death to Mr. Heredia, but merely to frighten him by displaying the gun. lle admits his overwrought state of mind resulting from persistent quarrels with his common law wife Valencia St. Clair, culminating in a fight with her that very evening. He cannot explain how the trigger of the gun went off, but confided that in truth it was accidental.
Condideration might also be given to the situation in western democratic countries today, where the death penalty for murder has in many instances been abolished. In England there is no death penalty and indeed there exists considerable controversy on this point in the United States of America. For a death which only fits the legal definition of murder, but where there is no pre-meditation whatsoever,
Page 30Page 31
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.