Sparing the Killers of Belize

The Documentary Podcast

BBC

Society & Culture, Documentary, Personal Journals

4.3 • 2.6K Ratings

🗓️ 30 June 2016

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The former British colony of Belize is a tiny country that boasts rich Central American indigenous culture and a spectacular Caribbean coast. It also suffers a high rate of violent crime, and its one and only prison houses more than its fair share of murderers. The BBC’s Charlotte McDonald has gained rare access to the jail, and to inmates there who have faced capital punishment for their crimes – sometimes coming alarmingly close to being put to death. All have since been spared thanks to an ongoing legal campaign, led by a group of British lawyers. As this programme discovers, the reformists have not only saved lives in Central America, for their campaign has had consequences for prisoners throughout the world. Yet, enduring a rising murder rate and menacing gangs, many local people in Belize remain convinced that violent offenders should go to the gallows.

Producer: Mike Gallagher

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	This is a BBC podcast. You can get all our podcasts and our terms of use at BBCworldservice.com
0:06.8	slash podcasts. Welcome to assignment on the BBC World Service coming to you from the
0:13.0	centre.
0:15.0	Good.
0:18.0	Welcome to assignment on the BBC World Service
0:21.0	coming to you from Belize.
0:23.0	The bullet hit him in the face.
0:25.0	My side puncture his cheek and he was then on the spot.
0:30.0	Right after that we deal the body in the drain and we roll out.
0:35.0	This is Glenford Baptist.
0:38.0	In April 2000 he and two other gangsters murdered a rival gang member. He was caught, convicted, and sentenced to death.
0:47.0	The judge told me to stand up and he said, Mr Baptist, we are found you guilty of murder and you will be sentenced to death by
0:54.9	hanging until you're dead as the word you use I'll be hung until I am dead.
1:01.0	Were you scared? Yes I am dead. Were you scared?
1:04.0	Yes, I was scared.
1:05.0	I felt like my energy had been drained away from me.
1:09.0	Couldn't believe that I will be gone from the earth.
1:16.0	As you can hear, I'm in a prison cell. It's tiny, dirty, and sweltering hot.
1:20.0	And I'm with a convicted murderer.
1:22.0	But this man next to me, he's supposed to be dead. and I'm with a convicted murderer.
1:22.8	But this man next to me, he's supposed to be dead.
1:25.5	And the fact that he's alive is part of a remarkable effort
	...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -3189 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.