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The case against Damián Valdez Galloso, accused of murdering the Cuban singer José Manuel Carvajal Zaldívar, "El Taiger," returned to court this week, and for the first time since the judicial proceedings began in 2024, the defense of the accused publicly addressed the matter.
Valdez Galloso now appears with his third defense attorney, the court-appointed lawyer Ricardo Hermida, who in his initial statement on behalf of the accused expressed: “On behalf of Mr. Valdez Galloso, we truly regret this and extend our condolences to the family of the deceased, El Taiger.”
He also assured that this is a complex homicide case involving more than 30 witnesses, including family members of the accused, detectives, and police authorities, who are being interviewed as part of the pre-trial process, as cited by Telemundo 51.
“This is routine and happens in all cases. We are not intentionally delaying the process
The Prosecutor's Office bases its case primarily on images captured by security cameras, which would show the moment of the homicide, as well as on the discovery of the artist's body in the trunk of a car on the outskirts of a hospital in Miami.
Also included are contradictory statements from the accused following his arrest in New York, as well as testimonies from two women who were allegedly at the crime scene.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, the defense insists that "every accused person has the right to a fair trial."
Legal experts indicate that the defendant faces a high-risk scenario if they choose to go to trial.
Criminal lawyer Erik Cruz, who is not involved in the case, explained that a conviction could mean life imprisonment, so he did not rule out the possibility that the defense might seek a plea bargain with the prosecution to reduce the sentence to between 20 and 30 years in prison.
The murder of El Taiger, a beloved figure in Cuban urban music, continues to garner attention and strong reactions within the community as the judicial process proceeds.
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