Attorney General Francisco Dominguez Brito commended the Supreme Court of Justice for its decision to annul a court decision that had reduced the sentence to the four processed for the death of journalist Orlando Martinez (military Joaquin Pou Castro, Luis Emilio de la Rosa Beras, Mariano Cabrera Duran and civilian Luis Emilio de la Rosa Beras). In 1999, judge Katia Miguelina Jimenez had levied a 30 year sentence on the accused. But the court of appeals of Santo Domingo reduced the sentences to ones of 12, 15 and 10 years on grounds that the military were acting following superior orders. The Supreme Court decision annuls the appeals court decision and sends the case to the Penal Court of the Court of Appeals of San Pedro de Macoris for a review of the recourse.