In his second appearance before the court, scheduled for November 21, Damián Valdez-Galloso pleaded "not guilty" to the homicide of the Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carvajal, known as El Taiger.
The journalist Maylin Legañoa from Telemundo 51 confirmed the news in 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 deceased artist, shared her thoughts upon leaving the courthouse. “Believe it or not, I am happy about this because now those supporting the cause for justice will really apply pressure. It is being declared that he is not guilty, and now we are heading to trial,” she stated in remarks to the press.
The session took place after the original hearing date 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 avoid crowding and those kinds of things. Still, it doesn’t matter, that remains public information,” she commented.
Additionally, the manager announced that during the judicial process they will submit to the prosecution a petition 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 although the Miami police claim to have sufficient evidence for a conviction, Teresa Padrón insists that there was a second person involved in the crime who may have collaborated with the accused.
The case continues to draw the attention of the reggaeton artist's followers, who demand justice for the figure who made a significant impact on Cuban urban music.
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