British Billionaire's Daughter-In-Law Charged After Top Belize Cop Dies Of Gunshot

The daughter-in-law of a politically influential British billionaire has been charged with manslaughter in the shooting death of a police superintendent in Belize.

Jasmine Hartin, 32, was denied bail at her arraignment Monday night, reported New York Post. She was detained three days ago after the body of police superintendent Henry Jemmott was discovered on a dock in San Pedro early Friday.

Hartin is married to the son of businessman Lord Michael Ashcroft. "The charge is manslaughter by negligence," her lawyer Godfrey Smith was quoted by ABC News Monday. "Bail has been denied. We appeal to the Supreme Court, as is normal."

Police said Hartin and Jemmott were drinking and socializing on the pier when the death happened. His body was found floating in the water with a bullet wound to the head.

First responders who arrived at the scene found Hartin, a mother of two, covered in blood. She was also "deeply distressed and shaking," the police said.

According to reports, she later told detectives that she was giving the officer a shoulder massage when he asked her to hand over his service Glock pistol. The pistol, however, accidentally went off and the officer suffered a bullet wound to the back of his head.

"At that point, he fell on her, and in struggling to get out from under him, she pushed him off, and his lifeless body fell from the pier into the water," 7 News Belize reported.

If charged, the punishment for manslaughter in Belize can be up to 25 years in prison. Though manslaughter by negligence is an eminently bailable offense, the police objected to bail in Hartin's case because she is a flight risk, local reports said.

A Canadian, Hartin lives in Belize with her husband, Andrew Ashcroft, the youngest son of Lord Ashcroft. She is the director of the lifestyle and experience at the Alaia Belize, a luxury resort developed by her husband.

Lord Ashcroft is a former deputy chairman of Britain’s Conservative Party and a major financial backer. He is also a Belizean citizen and once represented the nation before the United Nations.

Belize media had earlier reported that Hartin was reluctant to cooperate with the police. It said the police initially considered charging Hartin for cocaine possession, but after that, she began cooperating with the police. It was then that she gave her statement.