Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal shooting of Belize police officer
Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin pleaded guilty to manslaughter by negligence on Tuesday in the fatal shooting of a Belize police officer, the Belizean government confirmed to CBS News.
Hartin was raising twins with her former partner Andrew Ashcroft — and the son of UK billionaire businessman Lord Michael Ashcroft – when she was arrested two years ago for the deadly shooting of police superintendent Henry Jemmott.
The shooting shocked the Central American nation and rumors of drugs and infidelity abounded.
Hartin shared her story with "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant confiding the details of her decadent life and the hours that led up to the fatal shooting.
After arriving on an island called Ambergris Caye in 2014, Hartin started to work as a realtor before meeting Ashcroft the following year, who she thought was "very clever, very funny, very witty." Hartin said she had "no money" and she wasn't attracted to the billionaire's son's wallet, she was more interested in building a life together.
They got engaged and had twins in 2016, the same year Hartin met Jemmott, she told Van Sant. She said Ashcroft – with whom her relationship was struggling and they were leading separate lives – knew Jemmott. They were friends for years, Hartin said, adding that Jemmott, "Loved my cooking, often came to ho — the house for dinner."
In May 2021 after she was attacked at a party, she called Jemmott for help. He advised her to get a gun, Hartin said.
A few days later Jemmott and Hartin were sitting drinking on a pier when Hartin said Jemmott "pulled out his 9mm Glock 17 and handed it to her."
She said she was "trying to use the moonlight or whatever to see if I'm clicking the right button." And then the gun went off, killing Jemmott, she said.
Hartin said the shooting was an accident, and Jemmott's family didn't buy her story. His sister, Cherry Jemmott, told "48 Hours" that her brother would never treat his firearm that way.
"He is so skillful, and he is so careful," she said. Investigators have never publicly disclosed that Hartin had an intentional motive to kill Jemmott.
In Belize, the maximum prison sentence for manslaughter for negligence can be up to five years.
Her sentencing hearing has been set for May 31, a Belizean government spokesperson confirmed.
Reporting contributed by Josh Yager and James Stolz
Cara TabachnickCara Tabachnick is a news editor for CBSNews.com. Contact her at [email protected]
