Post by politicidal on Oct 9, 2021 0:41:29 GMT
Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin claims she wasn't on cocaine when she allegedly shot Belizean police superintendent Henry Jemmott by 'accident' this past May. She was charged with manslaughter and is facing 9 months in prison if convicted.
TEXT:
Socialite Jasmine Hartin has insisted she wasn't drunk and hadn't taken drugs when she shot and killed Belizean police superintendent Henry Jemmott - as she gave her first TV interview since being charged over the killing.
Hartin, 32, spoke to CBS reporter Peter Van Sant for a world exclusive edition of 48 Hours on Saturday night.
In the interview she admits that she shot and killed Jemmott, a 42-year-old father-of-five, on a moonlit pier in Belize on May 28 - but swears it was accidental.
Hartin, 32, spoke to CBS reporter Peter Van Sant for a world exclusive edition of 48 Hours on Saturday night.
In the interview she admits that she shot and killed Jemmott, a 42-year-old father-of-five, on a moonlit pier in Belize on May 28 - but swears it was accidental.
Socialite Jasmine Hartin has insisted she wasn't drunk and hadn't taken drugs when she shot and killed Belizean police superintendent Henry Jemmott - as she gave her first TV interview since being charged over the killing.
Hartin, 32, spoke to CBS reporter Peter Van Sant for a world exclusive edition of 48 Hours on Saturday night.
In the interview she admits that she shot and killed Jemmott, a 42-year-old father-of-five, on a moonlit pier in Belize on May 28 - but swears it was accidental.
Hartin, 32, spoke to CBS reporter Peter Van Sant for a world exclusive edition of 48 Hours on Saturday night.
In the interview she admits that she shot and killed Jemmott, a 42-year-old father-of-five, on a moonlit pier in Belize on May 28 - but swears it was accidental.
But the mother-of-two claims that she is being misjudged, and complained: 'I've been through what I would consider hell on earth.'
She claims that Jemmott was teaching her how to use a handgun for her protection, after she been sexually assaulted at a party on May 22. She clams she was familiar with using a shotgun prior to this.
She said: 'A man followed me into the room and was quite aggressive with me. Physically, in a sexual manner.
'In that moment, I fought him off me. I called Jemmott right away.
'He drove an hour to come pick me up. And he kept saying, we need to really work on getting your firearms license.'
She claims that when the pair met up almost a week later, he again encouraged her to learn how to use a gun.
She claims that Jemmott was teaching her how to use a handgun for her protection, after she been sexually assaulted at a party on May 22. She clams she was familiar with using a shotgun prior to this.
She said: 'A man followed me into the room and was quite aggressive with me. Physically, in a sexual manner.
'In that moment, I fought him off me. I called Jemmott right away.
'He drove an hour to come pick me up. And he kept saying, we need to really work on getting your firearms license.'
She claims that when the pair met up almost a week later, he again encouraged her to learn how to use a gun.
Hartin admits that the pair had been drinking cinnamon whiskey before the shooting on May 28.
She said: 'He took his like a shot. I was sipping mine.
'It was a full moon. The stars were gorgeous. We decided, let's go down, sit on the pier. We were sitting on the edge, our legs kind of dangling, just talking.'
But while she claims Jemmott was a little drunk, she was not impaired herself.
She said: 'I had had a few drinks. Yeah. I wasn't drunk.'
She also told Van Sant that she had not taken drugs, and claimed that a small amount of cocaine that was found by police was not hers.
She said: 'I definitely do not have a drug problem at all. And I will say that the substance that they found was not mine.'
When Van Saint asked who the drugs belonged to, she replied: 'I don't think I can say that.'
She said: 'He took his like a shot. I was sipping mine.
'It was a full moon. The stars were gorgeous. We decided, let's go down, sit on the pier. We were sitting on the edge, our legs kind of dangling, just talking.'
But while she claims Jemmott was a little drunk, she was not impaired herself.
She said: 'I had had a few drinks. Yeah. I wasn't drunk.'
She also told Van Sant that she had not taken drugs, and claimed that a small amount of cocaine that was found by police was not hers.
She said: 'I definitely do not have a drug problem at all. And I will say that the substance that they found was not mine.'
When Van Saint asked who the drugs belonged to, she replied: 'I don't think I can say that.'
Hartin told Van Sant that Jemmott taught her how to load and unload his Glock 17 pistol and magazine. Hartin claims she was stunned when the gun went off.
She told Van Sant: 'He says "Can you hand me the magazine from the gun?". So, I lean over. I pick up the gun.'
Gesturing for the camera, Hartin explains how she was trying to remove the magazine from the gun before it went off.
She said: 'I'm trying to click out the magazine and it's not working. So, I'm holding it like this and I'm trying to use the moonlight or whatever to see if I'm clicking the right button.
She told Van Sant: 'He says "Can you hand me the magazine from the gun?". So, I lean over. I pick up the gun.'
Gesturing for the camera, Hartin explains how she was trying to remove the magazine from the gun before it went off.
She said: 'I'm trying to click out the magazine and it's not working. So, I'm holding it like this and I'm trying to use the moonlight or whatever to see if I'm clicking the right button.
Next thing I know, the gun went off.'
'And did you have a finger on the trigger?' Van Sant asks.
'Not that I thought,' Hartin replies.
'Somehow you must have pulled the trigger,' Van Sant responds.
'It was an accident or the gun misfired. But – consciously did I pull the trigger? No,' Hartin says.
'And did you have a finger on the trigger?' Van Sant asks.
'Not that I thought,' Hartin replies.
'Somehow you must have pulled the trigger,' Van Sant responds.
'It was an accident or the gun misfired. But – consciously did I pull the trigger? No,' Hartin says.
Next thing I know, the gun went off.'
'And did you have a finger on the trigger?' Van Sant asks.
'Not that I thought,' Hartin replies.
'Somehow you must have pulled the trigger,' Van Sant responds.
'It was an accident or the gun misfired. But – consciously did I pull the trigger? No,' Hartin says.
'And did you have a finger on the trigger?' Van Sant asks.
'Not that I thought,' Hartin replies.
'Somehow you must have pulled the trigger,' Van Sant responds.
'It was an accident or the gun misfired. But – consciously did I pull the trigger? No,' Hartin says.
Cherry Jemmott, the older sister of Henry, insists that her brother would not have allowed Hartin to use his weapon while he was impaired.
Also speaking to CBS, she said: 'He is so skillful, and he is so careful. I cannot believe that.'
'My brother was shot behind the ear. Execution style.'
She added: 'Jasmine Hartin should be charged for murder and not manslaughter.'
Hartin's recount contradicts the one she reportedly gave to police just after Jemmott's death, where she allegedly said the gunshot came from a boat which was sailing in nearby waters.
She told CBS: 'I don't remember saying that. Like, it was such a blur. Umm, you know, and I think I was in shock.'
She insisted she was not intentionally trying to mislead police.
Hartin - a glamorous blonde - was in a relationship with Andrew Ashcroft at the time of Jemmott's death. Ashcroft is the son of Lord Michael Ashcroft, a British politician with a net worth of around $2.2 billion.
Hartin told 48 Hours that the media representation of her glamorous life and personality has been distorted.
'People perceive me as being… a billionairess and this… entitled, spoiled rich girl… and this wild, crazy, party girl that's hanging from the rafters,' she states.
'That's not it at all. I'm a businesswoman. I'm a mother. I'm a friend… I'm a wife.'
However, the couple have been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute over their twins since Hartin was charged in June.
Also speaking to CBS, she said: 'He is so skillful, and he is so careful. I cannot believe that.'
'My brother was shot behind the ear. Execution style.'
She added: 'Jasmine Hartin should be charged for murder and not manslaughter.'
Hartin's recount contradicts the one she reportedly gave to police just after Jemmott's death, where she allegedly said the gunshot came from a boat which was sailing in nearby waters.
She told CBS: 'I don't remember saying that. Like, it was such a blur. Umm, you know, and I think I was in shock.'
She insisted she was not intentionally trying to mislead police.
Hartin - a glamorous blonde - was in a relationship with Andrew Ashcroft at the time of Jemmott's death. Ashcroft is the son of Lord Michael Ashcroft, a British politician with a net worth of around $2.2 billion.
Hartin told 48 Hours that the media representation of her glamorous life and personality has been distorted.
'People perceive me as being… a billionairess and this… entitled, spoiled rich girl… and this wild, crazy, party girl that's hanging from the rafters,' she states.
'That's not it at all. I'm a businesswoman. I'm a mother. I'm a friend… I'm a wife.'
However, the couple have been embroiled in a bitter custody dispute over their twins since Hartin was charged in June.
Ashcroft says his former partner is an unfit mother because of her 'immoral habits' and her involvement in the accidental shooting death of the police officer.
'Her main occupation is socializing and she is addicted to non-prescribed and illegal drugs and is a habitual drunkard,' Ashcroft has claimed in a court summons.
Hartin read the court document aloud in the CBS interview, and hit back at Ashcroft.
'In my opinion, this is absolutely war. … This is absolutely gloves are off,' she told Van Saint.
'Money, power, image and reputation mean absolutely everything to that family.'
Hartin also said she had been cut off financially by the wealthy family, and that the couple never officially married.
She said that at the time of the shooting, the couple were having trouble.
'Andrew and I have had a very rocky road,' she said. 'We weren't even sleeping in the same rooms.'
'Her main occupation is socializing and she is addicted to non-prescribed and illegal drugs and is a habitual drunkard,' Ashcroft has claimed in a court summons.
Hartin read the court document aloud in the CBS interview, and hit back at Ashcroft.
'In my opinion, this is absolutely war. … This is absolutely gloves are off,' she told Van Saint.
'Money, power, image and reputation mean absolutely everything to that family.'
Hartin also said she had been cut off financially by the wealthy family, and that the couple never officially married.
She said that at the time of the shooting, the couple were having trouble.
'Andrew and I have had a very rocky road,' she said. 'We weren't even sleeping in the same rooms.'
Hartin says Ashcroft has blocked her from seeing her children without any court order or lawful authorization since June 11.
She has also complained to Belizean and Canadian authorities that Ashcroft took their children out of Belize without her permission.
Hartin has claimed no-one from the family of her former partner Ashcroft visited her while she was on bail over the shooting because they had been told they couldn't have 'bad press associated with their reputation'.
She said that although she has had a 'complicated' seven-year relationship with Ashcroft with many 'ups and downs', she has been 'shocked' about the Ashcroft family's treatment of her since her arrest.
Prior to the shooting of Jemmott, Hartin and Ashcroft enjoyed a jet-set lifestyle operating a string of luxurious resorts in Ambergris Caye, a tropical island haven for rich ex-pats off the eastern coast of Belize.
She has also complained to Belizean and Canadian authorities that Ashcroft took their children out of Belize without her permission.
Hartin has claimed no-one from the family of her former partner Ashcroft visited her while she was on bail over the shooting because they had been told they couldn't have 'bad press associated with their reputation'.
She said that although she has had a 'complicated' seven-year relationship with Ashcroft with many 'ups and downs', she has been 'shocked' about the Ashcroft family's treatment of her since her arrest.
Prior to the shooting of Jemmott, Hartin and Ashcroft enjoyed a jet-set lifestyle operating a string of luxurious resorts in Ambergris Caye, a tropical island haven for rich ex-pats off the eastern coast of Belize.
Hartin is awaiting trial, but no court dates have yet been announced.
She was charged with manslaughter by negligence after prosecutors opted against murder or full-fledged manslaughter on the strength of her witness statement insisting it was an accident.
The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of nine months or a fine of around 10,000 Belizean dollars ($5,000 in US money).
She was charged with manslaughter by negligence after prosecutors opted against murder or full-fledged manslaughter on the strength of her witness statement insisting it was an accident.
The offence carries a maximum prison sentence of nine months or a fine of around 10,000 Belizean dollars ($5,000 in US money).
