Stop behaving like the victim
Shot police chief widow’s rant at socialite
THE widow of the Belizean police chief shot dead by Jasmine Hartin has broken her silence to criticise the socialite over her ‘international PR campaign’ to paint herself as a victim.
Romit Wilson, 39, who had three children with Superintendent Henry Jemmott, told the Mail that her family had been left ‘anguished’ by Hartin’s publicity spree after his death in May 2021.
She ‘wishes’ that Hartin, 33, had considered the officer’s children before doing countless interviews, as well as documentaries, about the night she ‘accidentally’ shot their father.
Ms Wilson spoke out after the Canadian socialite released another statement complaining about her ‘long and painful battle’.
Hartin, the estranged partner of Tory grandee Lord Ashcroft’s son Andrew, appeared to backtrack on her guilty plea which was dramatically entered at the 11th hour on Tuesday, ahead of her trial for manslaughter by negligence.
Released by Louisa Chiaramonte, who runs an advertising agency and is described as Hartin’s ‘PR manager’, the statement said the plea ‘was a decision that was ruled by emotion and made in haste’. Despite having a four-hour adjournment followed by another 30-minute break, Hartin said she did not have ‘the expected time’ to consult with her Canadian lawyers.
But she feels it is ‘the best possible outcome for all parties’, adding: ‘Out of respect for Mr Jemmott’s family, this decision will ensure that the family is not forced to relive this horrific tragedy.’
Ms Wilson, who was Mr Jemmott’s common-law wife for 13 years, said: ‘I have not given any interviews to any media houses since the day Henry was killed. I have focused on our children, taking care of them and dealing with our grief. I know they say grief comes in waves, but ours has been constant.
‘My children and I have had to endure Ms Hartin recounting in interview after interview, in full documentaries even, details of that awful night, details of her friendship with Henry and even details about my relationship with Henry. She said she pleaded guilty to not put us through the anguish of a trial. I wish she had also thought about that before her international PR campaign.’
Ms Wilson added that she hoped Hartin will give more consideration to her children in the family’s civil claim over the officer’s death.
The Jemmott family’s lawyer, Leslie Mendez, also criticised Hartin for trying to ‘inject uncertainty’ over her plea which was entered at the
Supreme Court in Belize City. Ms Mendez said: ‘You cannot waffle on the veracity of your guilty plea and, at the same time, maintain you want the family to have peace and heal.
‘It is reprehensible to inject uncertainty into the public discourse and the minds of his family when what they want is the truth and justice.’
The family added that claims by Hartin’s defence that she had paid compensation to them were false and that ‘no offers’ had been made.
Their civil case is due to go before the courts in Belize after Hartin is sentenced on May 31. She is expected to escape jail with just a fine.
Hartin, who has twins with Andrew Ashcroft, has long insisted that the death of Mr Jemmott, who she describes as ‘one of her dearest friends’, was a ‘horrible accident’.
While on bail awaiting trial, she has given several interviews in print and on camera. She has also featured in the documentary One Bullet in Belize on Discovery+.
Hartin has described in graphic detail how she ‘accidentally’ shot the officer as they enjoyed a latenight drink on a pier near a luxury hotel. She said she ‘wriggled out’ from under the heavily-built officer and was left covered in his blood.
‘His family want truth and justice’