The victims’ defense says that the revelation of the video would not prove Jhonier Leal’s innocence and will file a complaint so that “the Prosecutor’s Office determines who hid the video.”
News Colombia.
Recently, the case of the murder of stylist Mauricio Leal and his mother, Marleny Hernández, has once again captured the attention of the country after the revelation of a video that many believe could change the course of the investigation.
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According to Elmer Montaña, the victims’ lawyer, this video was never known or presented by the Prosecutor’s Office during the judicial process. Montaña has pointed out that the video reveals serious contradictions in the case. “This video was neither discovered nor handed over by the Prosecutor’s Office to this representation of victims. Therefore, we were unaware of it,” Montaña said in recent statements.
According to information published by El Tiempo, on July 14, 2022, a report was issued specifying that the material related to the case, including a 2TB hard drive, was delivered to Ana Julieth Velásquez, Jhonier Leal’s defense attorney. The report details the delivery of the copy of the material discovered by the Prosecutor’s Office at the accusation hearing and in the accusation and addendum brief.
They explained why the video did not appear during the trial
Montaña also revealed that he spoke with prosecutor Burgos, who confirmed that the video was not on the cell phone or in the other evidence collected at the crime scene that occurred on November 21, 2021. “I had the opportunity to speak with prosecutor Burgos and he confirmed that the video was not on the cell phone. They made a mirror copy and that video was not there,” Montaña said.
El Tiempo revealed that the Prosecutor’s Office told it that “an analyst who was in charge of verifying Mauricio Leal’s cell phone took note of what he considered favorable to the theory constructed by Marío Burgos, and although the video was there, at the time the official did not send it to the prosecutor.”
A complaint will be filed to determine “who hid the video”
Despite the revelation of the video, Montaña maintains that the material does not prove Jhonier Leal’s innocence nor does it alter the case. According to the lawyer, the video shows a possible alteration of the scene, such as the absence of blood transfer on the sheet Mauricio uses and the presence of a strange voice in the video. “It is very strange that there is even an alteration of the scene. The cell phone appears on the other side. The way the video starts is striking; another voice is heard. There is no blood transfer on the sheet Mauricio uses, which indicates that the sheet was superimposed,” Montaña commented.
Finally, Montaña announced that he will file a criminal complaint for concealment, alteration or destruction of material evidence. “We are going to file a criminal complaint for the crime of concealment, alteration or destruction of material evidence, so that the Prosecutor’s Office can determine who hid the video and answer for that fact,” concluded the lawyer.
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