On Monday, October 5th, islander Christian Espat walked free from charges of attempted murder, following his trial at the Supreme Court in Belize City. Espat was accused of shooting and trying to kill then 27-year-old Lloyd Tyndall in August 2017 in the San Pedrito Area. Two minor children, ages 9 and 12, were also injured in the incident. Espat was represented by Attorney Richard ‘Dickie’ Bradley. In a memorandum sent to the court from the Director of Public Prosecutions, Crown Counsel informed the discontinuation of the case against Espat for attempted murder. The trial was expected to have started a lawsuit against Espat, but the virtual complainant was said not to be cooperating. According to the report, the complainant refused to show up in court to testify against the alleged shooter. As a result, Espat was set free from the accusations, and the case ended in ‘Noelle Prosequi.’ Espat quickly left the courtroom, avoiding any interviews with the media.

Christian Espat is no stranger to the law, and his latest brush with authorities on the island was on June 27, 2019, when in the company of attorney Leeroy Banner, handed himself over to police. The Belize Police Department had issued a wanted post for his apprehension in connection with the double murder of American tourist Dr. Gary Swank and local tour guide Mario Graniel. Espat was released from police custody on July 1, 2019. Police said they could not tie him to the double murder due to insufficient evidence. Over the past years, Espat has been accused of similar crimes, but he always walked away from charges because of a lack of evidence or key witnesses’ refusal to testify.

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Christian Espat Walks, Again

For 3 years now, 22-year-old Christian Espat had been accused of attempted murder. The cops believed that they had evidence tying him to a 2017 shooting on San Pedro. But tonight, he's a free man because the DPP's Office had to discontinue its prosecution against him.

Espat was charged with a slew of offenses for a shooting in San Pedro Town which happened on Saturday, August 12, 2017. 3 males, including 2 minors and Lloyd Tyndall who was 27 years old at the time, were in the San Pedrito area at a woodwork shop when a lone gunman ambushed them and opened fire.

Tyndall was seriously wounded; he suffered 3 gunshot injuries. A boy who was only 9 years old at the time was injured to the left wrist, and their 12-year-old companion suffered an injury to the right buttocks.

Espat began facing trial for this shooting several days ago before Justice Colin Williams. But, the virtual complainant, on whose testimony the crown counsel would have depended on for a possible conviction, refused to show up and testify. That complainant was scheduled to appear before the court on two separate occasions, but when it was time for him to show up, he was absent.

And so, the crown counsel appeared in court today with a memorandum sent from the DPP's Office that they had no choice but to discontinue the case and their prosecution against him. They decided to enter a nolle pros against him, which meant that he was free to leave the court.

Channel 7