The Second Collegiate Court of the Penal Chamber of the Court of the First Instance of the National District has sentenced one of the men accused of causing the injuries that cost young engineer Francina Hungria her sight during an armed robbery to a 30-year jail term. The shooting occurred in Santo Domingo’s Ensanche Piantini on 23 November 2012. The court discharged the other four defendants. The maximum sentence was imposed on Jose Manuel Vidal Feliz (Menin) by a majority vote of judges Sarah Veras Almanzar, presiding, Ingrid Fernandez and Yissell Soto. On the other hand, despite the dissident vote by Magistrate Veras Almanzar, the panel discharged Jose Manuel Ariea Mejia (Bacan), Melvin Perez (Bululo). Jose Miguel Mora Acosta (Antonio or El Gordo) and Celso Gonzalez Montero (Nariz). Upon reading the motives of the majority vote to discharge the four defendants, Magistrate Fernandez argued that the Justice Department did not provide the evidence to justify a sentence for the defendants.
“It is a regrettable and unfounded decision. The judges neither took into account nor evaluated the evidence provided by the Justice Department harmoniously or based on the maximum experience and sound judgment,” said the District Attorney of the National District, Yeni Berenice Reynoso, who announced that she would appeal. The Prosecutor’s office said that Vidal Feliz, who was sentenced to serve 30 years in prison and Arias Mejia, who was discharged, are the perpetrators of the crime, while the others stayed inside their vehicle on the lookout until the crime was committed.