More details about what transpired the night that Jasmine Hartin shot and killed Superintendent Henry Jemmott are coming to the surface.
The 32-year-old Hartin, who is in a relationship with Andrew Ashcroft, the son of British billionaire Lord Ashcroft, was charged with manslaughter by negligence in the May 28 death of the police officer and released on bail after a hearing on Wednesday, June 9.
Excerpts of Hartin’s statement to police were read aloud during the hearing, providing a bit more detail about what she alleges took place leading up to Jemmott’s tragic death.
The two were reportedly familiar and were drinking and socializing on a pier leading up to the shooting. According to Belize’s Channel 5, Hartin claims that “[Jemmott] asked me to hand him the magazine so he can reload it. I tried to take out the magazine, which was stuck and the firearm discharged.” The discharge resulted in Jemmott’s immediate death after being shot behind the ear.
Hartin’s attorney, Godfrey Smith, former attorney general of Belize (1999-2003), also claimed that Jemmott “had allowed his client to handle the firearm the previous week.”
After determining that Hartin is not a flight risk, Justice Herbert Lord granted the wealthy socialite bond in the amount of 30,000 Belize dollars. “The question of whether you grant bail or not includes a whole list of factors: previous convictions, character of the person, economic ties to the country, family ties [and] community ties,” said Smith. “And so basically the judge carefully went down the entire list and concluded that there was not an unacceptable risk of flight.”
Hartin was released with conditions including immediately surrendering her passport, requiring daily police station check-ins, and a 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew.
Superintendent Jemmott was laid to rest Saturday June 12 in his hometown of Dangriga, Belize. Hundreds came out to say their final goodbyes to the officer, who worked with the Belize Police Department for nearly 25 years.
