CDN revealed on 24 May 2022 that the investigations into recent death cases involving police officers continue to end with the police agents being exempt from punitive actions despite weighty evidence against them.
Recent deaths involving police officials have generated collective indignation. Investigative journalist Addis Burgos of CDN’s “Desclasificado” news program had investigated the death of David Vicioso Núñez, a young autistic man killed by the police in Santiago. CDN reports that the courts recently discharged the officer who shot him. The case occurred on 16 September 2016 when there was a shootout and police officers that came to the scene shouted “tranquense” (get inside) to the neighbors while making intimidating shots in the air. 32-year old David Vicioso Núnez, who had been diagnosed with autism was meters away from the victim, Lenny Jose Angeles Quezada.
CDN report states that David was shot in the abdomen and died instantly despite being an innocent bystander. An explosive bullet detonated destroying his organs. The event unleashed a collective fury against the police. According to the evidence, more than 25 police officers participated in that police operation.
Desclasificado reported that the the police contingent that acted in David’s death was identified. It was composed of Major Jose Miguel Lopez, Captain Joel Ventura Bernard, Captain Carlos Martinez Collado and Sergeant Jose Luis Jimenez Mercado. But the family points out that the police command would hide the most important name, who had fired the shots and was none other than the head of the operation.
Desclasificado reported that the trial for the death of David Vicioso Núñez began with a flawed investigation.
The family members state that the prosecutor in charge of the case, Gerardo Ponce, intentionally hid evidence and Lieutenant Colonel Julio César Florián Dotel who was not investigated.
A security camera video was used to study the scene. The camera clearly shows that the shot that kills David Vicioso came from the gun of Colonel Julio Cesar Florian Dotel.
Colonel Julio Cesar Florian Dotel, who the family accused of the murder of David Vicioso Nunez, denied having been there at the time of the events. However, when the family brought evidence, his discourse changed. From that moment on, he alleged that he had responded to a call to collaborate in the operation. And although he was brought to justice, in each hearing the victims established that he was intentionally showing off the support he had from higher ups in government.
The news report indicates that the evidence in the family’s possession practically turned against him. The prosecutor in charge of the investigation, Gerardo Ponce, presented himself as a witness in favor of the accused. The ballistic result showed that the Colonel’s gun was not compatible with the bullet that killed David. The family members allege that the evidence was tampered with.
In addition, they indicated that the department of “complaints and crimes” of the prosecutor’s office insisted that all the evidence be handed over to them. And they subsequently seized the evidence. The evidence was not made available to the family’s lawyers. And although they were told that they were exhausting phases of the investigation, it was but a deception.
David’s case had a social condemnation of “maximum penalty”. But they say that in the courts they had as their main enemy the prosecutor’s office itself.
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CDN
25 May 2022