2023-07-05 18:18:36
After murdering his brother and his mother, Jhonier Leal spent the afternoon with his ex-partner. Photo: Jhonier Leal Hairdressing
Once again, the oral trial hearing scheduled for this Wednesday morning, July 5, against Jhonier Leal, accused of the murder of his brother, the renowned Colombian stylist Mauricio Leal, and his mother Marleny Hernández, was postponed.
Although the defendant appeared in person at the office of Judge 55 in Bogotá, after the respective presentations of the parties were made, the court reported that the defendant’s defense was not on the premises.
As reported, the lawyer Ana Julieth Velásquez sent an email to the office around 4:30 am this Wednesday, informing her of her absence from the summons due to medical problems.
“Cordial greetings, respected lady judge. I send to your office a certificate of hospitalization issued by the Cobos clinic, attention to the fact that since dawn I have been under observation for some health conditions. The foregoing makes it impossible for me to attend the procedure previously scheduled for today,” the judge read during the hearing.
The news did not sit well with the prosecutor in charge, Mario Burgos, who asked the judge to immediately verify the health of the defender, as it was a possible delay in the case against Leal.
“The position adopted by the lawyer representing the defense interests of Mr. Jhonier Rodolfo Leal Hernández is surprising. You must observe all the efforts that the Prosecutor’s Office has made for the appearance of each and every one of the witnesses, “said the prosecutor.
Similarly, the accusing body asked judge 55 to be allowed to send a team from Legal Medicine to the Los Cobos clinic to investigate the professional who treated and certified the hospitalization of Ana Julieth Velásquez: “I am going to ask authorization from his office to be a doctor attached to the Institute of Legal Medicine who moves to the Los Cobos clinic.
The news did not sit well with the prosecutor in charge, Mario Burgos, who asked the judge to immediately verify the health of the defender, as it was a possible delay in the case against Leal. | Photo: screenshot virtual audience
The prosecutor’s delegate referred to previous cases, such as that of Sergio Urrego, in which the defense did not appear, postponed hearings and maneuvered to avoid the oral trial. The prosecutor also reported that “this delegate is going to issue an order to the judicial police in order to interview the doctor to certify the lawyer’s state of health. With that certification, Madam Judge, you will appear before the office so that the pertinent measures can be taken,” the delegate pointed out.
The Attorney General’s Office joined the request of the Prosecutor’s Office, through its delegate sent to the hearing, who supported the request, alleging that the medical excuse had been “brief” and did not provide further details. Likewise, the attorney informed that “this is a drain on justice, for the entire police force, for the surveillance force, for the jail, for your honor and for all the witnesses”, making mention of their past requests for establish a substitute defense for Jhonier Leal.
Jhonier Leal, accused of having murdered his brother Mauricio Leal and his mother Marleny Hernández. Photo: Jhonier Leal hairdresser
The defendant also intervened after the togada asked him about his knowledge regarding the health of his defense. “I was unaware of what was happening, just until this morning when I found out what happened with the lawyer and it seems to me that she has really presented health problems, not only now, but in previous days,” said Leal Hernández.
After hearing all the requirements of the parties, the 55th trial judge of Bogotá refrained from issuing a verification order, since it had to start from the principle of good faith of the lawyer, who sent the respective medical certification. In addition, she indicated that she was moving away from any decision made by the prosecuting entity regarding her displacement to the clinic: “If the Prosecutor’s Office wants to carry out an inspection against the defense, the office is free of any consequence that may derive from it. ”.
At the moment, it is unknown if the meetings scheduled for July 6 and 7 will be held to advance the oral trial against Jhonier Rodolfo Leal Hernández, everything will depend on the evolution of the lawyer’s state of health, who was immediately requested sending the medical history.
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