Judge Alexandra Reyes Custodio of the eastern city of Higuey announced the opening of the hearings for the case of the death of 16-year old Esmeralda Richiez. Richiez bled to death at home after having sex in a night out with a high school professor John Kelly Martinez.
The professor’s defense say they will demonstrate there was no rape of the victim by his defendant. “Having sexual contact with a minor is a violation of the law known as sexual abuse, but it is the only thing in this case and it is what we have said from the beginning. In the trial we will have the opportunity to prove this,” added Andy de León, the defendant’s lawyer.
The lawyer for the family of Esmeralda Richiez, Silvestre Antonio Rodriguez, confirmed the judge hearing accepted to remove evidence a rifle was used, resulting in the reduction of the penalty from 30 to 20 years in jail.
The lawyer says the family is optimistic the judge would issue her ruling before 30 December 2023.
Prosecutors say that Kelly Martínez had a violent sexual relationship with the minor and involuntarily caused lacerations, abrasions and bruises that resulted in her death. The record shows that on the evening of 12 February 2022, the teenager left her home in Vista Alegre in the company of her teacher, his nephew and three other underage students.
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El Dia
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Noticias SIN
28 November 2023