In his second appearance before the court, scheduled for November 21, Damián Valdez-Galloso pleaded “not guilty” to the murder of the Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carvajal, known as El Taiger.
Journalist Maylin Legañoa from Telemundo 51 confirmed the news through a social media post: "Damián Valdez-Galloso, accused of fatally shooting El Taiger, pleads not guilty."
For her part, Teresa Padrón, manager and close friend of the late artist, shared her thoughts as she exited the courtroom. "Believe it or not, I am happy about this because now there will be significant pressure from those supporting the cause for justice. It's being declared that he is not guilty, and now we are going to trial," she stated in comments to the press.
The businesswoman then added that she still believes there are more people involved in the crime, as Damián would not have been able to carry El Taiger's body alone due to its weight.
The session took place after the original date of the hearing was moved up, as Teresa explained recently. “I imagine the reason was that they found out a lot of people were going to show up on Friday. The court usually does that to prevent crowds from forming and things like that. Still, it doesn't matter; that remains public information,” she commented.
Additionally, the manager announced that during the court proceedings, they will present a petition to the prosecutor's office signed by over 49,000 people demanding that the charges against Valdez-Galloso be upgraded from second-degree murder to first-degree murder.
The investigation into the homicide of El Taiger is ongoing, and while the Miami police claim to have enough evidence for a guilty verdict, Teresa Padrón insists that there was a second person involved in the crime, who allegedly collaborated with the accused.
The case continues to attract the attention of the reggaeton artist's fans, who are demanding justice for the figure who made a significant impact on Cuban urban music.
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