By Belize Live News Staff: After spending nearly three months in custody, 41-year-old American firefighter Gilbert Lightburn Jr. is now a free man. Lightburn faced seven serious criminal charges, including three counts of attempted murder, following an altercation on August 31 outside Shisha Nightclub, where four men were stabbed. However, the charges were formally dismissed in court on October 30 after the complainants opted to withdraw their complaints.
The incident involved Lightburn’s relatives, including Javon Abraham, who was allegedly approached and stabbed inside the club, leading to a brawl that left several individuals injured. Attorney Richard “Dickie” Bradley, representing Lightburn, explained that the case took a turn when Ian Abraham, Javon Abraham, Mark Usher, and Giovanni Abraham, all close relatives of Lightburn, decided to retract their complaints. According to Bradley, the complainants were advised to consult the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) due to the serious nature of the charges, but eventually, all charges were dropped.
Following his release, Bradley expressed relief that Lightburn, who had come to Belize to mourn his father’s recent passing, would now be able to attend his own wedding, set to take place soon. Bradley described the emotional toll on Lightburn, who had been unable to join his family during their time of grief due to his incarceration. “Gilbert will finally be able to go back home to Los Angeles, and he will attend his wedding this weekend,” Bradley shared.
Bradley further noted that the entire ordeal was unfortunate, especially considering Lightburn’s initial visit to Belize was for family matters. Reflecting on Lightburn’s faith and resilience throughout the process, Bradley added, “He was praying when the police came to inform him of the dismissal. His prayers were answered.”
Lightburn now looks forward to moving on from this incident.
