PHILIPSBURG--A 42-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to fifteen months, five of which were suspended, on three years’ probation, for shooting an Officer of the Immigration and Border Protection Service in his leg during a heated argument.

 

The Prosecutor’s Office had called for a two-year prison sentence for the shooting, which took place on December 16, 2015.

 

The Court found Jeffrey Eufracio “Poya” Bremer of St. Peters responsible for shooting Immigration Officer Jason Juliet (30) in his upper left leg in a Chinese restaurant on L.B. Scott Road.

 

An argument between Bremer and Juliet concerning the circumstances under which police officer Gamali Benjamin was shot dead in the Oro Diamante robbery of August 5, 2015, ended with Bremer shooting Juliet in one of his legs.

 

Juliet, who is the son of retired Police Inspector Geronimo Juliet, was heard as a witness on Wednesday. He testified that what had started as a discussion about whether or not Benjamin had been killed by bullets fired by fellow-officers, turned into a debate and then in a heated argument during which tempers flared. The argument led to frequent cussing and continuous name-calling, he said.

 

Juliet said he had tried to end the discussion twice, but when Bremer came up to him aggressively while he was about to leave the restaurant he had put the bag with his food on the floor and turned around to confront his foe.

The holder of a black belt in taekwondo had no problem in taking his assailant down with one single “push kick.”

Bremer said he was shocked and in pain and had difficulty breathing after the sudden blow, which had taken the air out of his chest. He said one of his ribs was broken by the “karate kick.”

 

When he saw Juliet, who he considered to be a “professional fighter,” standing over him and ready to deal him another blow, he pulled the gun from his pants and took a shot at Juliet’s knee. The confrontation ended with Bremer threatening to also shoot the Officer in his belly, after which he walked out.

 

Bremer told Police he had taken the gun, which he had purchased three weeks before the incident, to shoot the dogs that were attacking his goats, which were roaming in the hills in South Reward. “If Jason had not attacked me I would not have been in prison today,” the defendant told the Judge.

 

The Prosecutor called upon the Court to dismiss the suspect from prosecution for the shooting, as he had the right to defend himself, even though he overreacted. Because it proved impossible to ascertain who had started the fight the Prosecutor said the defendant should be given the benefit of the doubt. He said, however, there was “no excuse” for the defendant carrying a firearm in a public place.

 

Attorney Cor Merx claimed his client had acted in self-defence. In pointing out that his client has already been detained for three months, the lawyer said a conditional sentence, with community service, would be sufficient punishment.

The Court did not find attempted manslaughter proven because the victim was shot in his leg. There was also no evidence of severe mistreatment, as there was no medical report included in the case file.

 

However, the Judge did find the attempt to inflict severe bodily harm proven, but said that the defendant had acted in self-defence. As it could not be established who had started the fight, the Court dismissed the defendant of all prosecution for the shooting, but sentenced him for firearm possession, according to the Court’s guidelines. In sentencing, it was taking into account that the defendant was a first offender.

 

The daily herald