Santo Domingo.– In justice, when the cases start from a bulky accusatory file, what the saying goes: “much of foam and little chocolate.”
With this analogy, the criminal lawyer Miguel Valerio questioned the way some judicial processes are handled, including the Octopus case And others who have dominated public opinion where, in their opinion, excessive complexity can divert the focus of the process, affecting the judicial system and the fundamental objective of doing justice.
During your participation in the Weekly Lunch of the Corripio Communications GroupValerio argued that, when a file contains too many accused and excessive evidence, it becomes much more difficult to process and try in trial.
The octopus case and the “test trucks”
When referring directly to the corruption file in which Juan Alexis Medina Sánchez He was the main one for crimes of embezzlement to the State, an association of malefactors and illicit enrichment, the jurist acknowledged that, although the sentence must be analyzed, it is important to consider that the judges of the court warned to have received ‘Test wheelbarrows’many of which They had no direct relationship with the case or were of different dates.
“One of the warnings that I always do is that, when more than two people are involved and there is an excess of evidence, the case becomes complex and difficult to manage,” he said.
Quality on quantity
For Valerio, judicial efficiency is not achieved with volume of documents, but clearly in the evidence and in the narrative of the case. “I prefer a Grain file: two or three well -defined behaviors, two or three tests, two or three witnesses, and voila. If I have more cases against that accused, I present them later, ”he said.
He even said that in his practice he has lived situations in which the accused themselves end up requesting that they are presented with all the positions together, in order not to face fragmented and eternal processes.
Complexity that hinders
He explained that Criminal Procedure Code contemplate the figure of the complex casewhich in theory must facilitate certain processes, but in practice many times It makes it difficult and hindered.
Lee: What would be Alexis Medina’s sentence under the new Criminal Code?
“Justice is a process that takes time. Whoever exercises the right knows it. The probative burden, the number of accused, the hearings, the resources … all that makes a case to be extended for years,” he said.
Octopus case sentences
The Second Collegiate Court of the National District condemned several involved in the network of administrative corruption dismantled through the Antipulpo operationafter finding them guilty of a embezzlement superior to RD $ 5,000 million to the detriment of the Dominican State.
The highest, of Seven years in prisonit was imposed on Juan Alexis Medina Sánchezbrother of former president Danilo Medina. Other sentenced include:
Francisco Ramón Brea Morel: All with sentences of 5 years in prison.
José Dolores Santana Carmona: 6 years
Wacal Vernavel Méndez Pineda: 5 years
Paola Mercedes Molina Suazo
Carlos Martín Montes de Oca
Rigoberto Alcántara Batista
Carlos José Alarcón Veras
