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The trial against the Cuban reggaeton artist Yosvanis Sierra Hernández, known artistically as Chocolate MC, began this Monday in Miami amid significant media attention and marked by a strong warning from the judge overseeing the process regarding death threats against Damian Valdez.
During the first session, Judge Milton Hirsch warned Chocolate that, if found guilty by the jury, he could face a life sentence, according to local news sources.
According to present witnesses, the judge explicitly asked him if he understood the seriousness of the legal situation he was facing. Chocolate, visibly serious, replied that he did.
Dressed in a blue suit and red tie, the reggaeton artist listened in silence to the charges being read and confirmed to the magistrate that his lawyer had explained each point of the accusation to him, although he added that “they make no sense.”
The judicial process is in response to the accusations made by the Miami-Dade County Prosecutor's Office, which claims that the artist posted messages on social media offering money to anyone who would assault Damian Valdez Galloso, who is implicated in the homicide of singer José Manuel Carvajal Zaldívar, known as El Taiger.
In these messages, the reggaeton artist allegedly wrote phrases like "If the police don't kill you, we will" and "One hundred thousand dollars for your head," accompanied by emojis and references to the alleged ZMF gang.
Judge Hirsch determined that such publications are not protected by the First Amendment, as they constitute "true threats" and a "direct call to violence" against an identifiable person.
The prosecution argued that the singer's messages "posed a concrete risk to the safety of Valdez Galloso."
On his part, the defense attorney, Adolfo Gil, stated that his client “did not have a real intention to cause harm,” and explained that the posts were impulsive and a result of “an altered emotional state.”
"Chocolate reacts from emotion and pain, not from violence. His language is part of the character he builds in his music," stated the lawyer, who indicated that the defense would emphasize the psychological deterioration of the accused.
A trial marked by personal drama
During the hearing this Monday, a video recorded in April came to light, in which Chocolate MC himself was asking for help to face his addiction issues.
In the images, the singer confessed that he thought "repeatedly about suicide," and that he had attempted to take his own life.
“I need to talk to a psychologist every day”, said the artist, who also admitted to using crack since he was 16 years old.
The video has been presented as evidence of her emotional vulnerability and her need for specialized medical attention.
The sister of the reggaeton artist, Isis Arislén Sierra, stated upon leaving the court that she has faith in a fair outcome, and that Chocolate has dedicated himself to God.
"I feel at peace because I know that God is in control of everything," she stated to local media.
Daniel Llorente, current representative of Chocolate, stated that the judicial process represents an opportunity to vindicate the artist: “Unfortunately, fame led him down a path that was not the most correct at a very early stage.”
The family insists that the musician's problems are closely linked to his drug addiction and a fragile mental health history.
According to reports, the artist has shown a recent interest in the Christian faith and has sought help to begin a rehabilitation process.
An incomplete process without the key testimony
Uno de los elementos más comentados del juicio ha sido la ausencia de Damian Valdez Galloso, la presunta víctima de las amenazas, quien decidió acogerse a la Quinta Enmienda constitucional y no declarar.
Valdez Galloso is facing a parallel judicial process for homicide, so his decision to remain silent was interpreted as a measure to avoid self-incrimination.
For the defense, this absence is significant: without the direct testimony of the alleged threatened person, an "essential piece," according to attorney Gil, is lost in contextualizing his client's words.
However, the Prosecutor's Office insists that the digital evidence and social media records are sufficient to support the charge of threats.
El juicio continuará en los próximos días con la presentación de evidencias electrónicas, peritajes y posibles testimonios de expertos en salud mental.
Chocolate MC: between music, addiction, and jail
At 34 years old, Chocolate MC is facing one of the toughest moments of his life. An icon of Cuban reggaeton and a controversial figure within the urban genre, his career has been marked by a blend of musical success and legal disputes.
The artist remains in custody in Miami for another unrelated charge stemming from his arrest on June 2, when he was accused of kidnapping and making threats with a firearm against a fan.
Although it was later confirmed that the weapon was fake, the charges include armed robbery and unlawful deprivation of liberty.
During the hearing on June 5, Judge Mindy S. Glazer ruled that he would not be entitled to bail, considering that he had violated the conditions of a previous release. In that session, Chocolate denied being "mentally unstable," although he admitted to experiencing episodes of substance use and emotional outbursts.
This new process adds to a lengthy judicial history: it is his fifth case opened in Florida and his ninth arrest in eight years. Previous charges include domestic violence, disorderly conduct, and drug possession.
Despite this, his cultural impact on Cuban urban music remains undeniable. With lyrics that reflect marginality, uprootedness, and neighborhood pride, Chocolate MC established himself as one of the most influential artists of the reparto—a subgenre of reggaeton that originated in Cuba—but also as one of the most controversial.
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