Damián Valdez Galloso, accused of the murder of the Cuban reggaeton artist José Manuel Carvajal Zaldívar (El Taiger), appeared this Tuesday before the Miami-Dade County criminal court in a hearing that made it clear that the trial will not take place in September as previously planned.
According to journalist Javier Díaz from Univisión, it was the first time the accused physically appeared before the court since awaiting a final date for his trial.
The trial is postponed to 2027
The judge indicated that the trial will likely take place in February or March 2027, granting both parties an additional six months to prepare, which is a significant change from the date previously set for September 15, 2026.
As the next procedural step, a status hearing has been scheduled for September 2nd, during which the progress of the case will be reviewed and the possible addition of witnesses or expert witnesses will be discussed.
Complications in the research
During the hearing, several obstacles that have slowed down the process were revealed.
The prosecution plans to call between 15 and 20 witnesses during the trial, as reported by Díaz.
The case presents additional complications because three different police departments—Miami, Hialeah, and Metro Dade—were involved in the investigation, which has made coordination difficult.
The main evidence from the Metro Dade department is still pending.
The defense attorney informed the judge that the process of taking statements had been delayed because her secretary is on maternity leave, although she will return next week.
Friends and supporters call for "Justice for José" at the courthouse doors
Outside the courthouse, family members, friends, and supporters of the deceased artist gathered with signs that read "Justice for José", called together by Teresa María Padrón, who was El Taiger's manager and has been one of the most vocal advocates for justice.
Teresa herself had made a request to the followers of the deceased reggaeton artist to attend today's hearing.
"For those who are going, no one should speak in the courtroom; if they do, they may be expelled or arrested. We go in peace and with respect for the court, with the sole objective of seeking justice for José!" Teresa warned in her Instagram stories.
The charges and the defense's position
Valdez Galloso faces three charges: first-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The accused had pleaded not guilty and his defense argues that he acted in self-defense, pointing to another person as responsible for the shooting.
The prosecution, which ruled out the death penalty, is seeking a mandatory life sentence and has security camera footage, DNA samples, more than 1,200 photographs, and forensic documents, in addition to a 911 call in which Valdez Galloso allegedly pretended to be a witness who found the vehicle with the victim.
The ex-partner who said, "I didn't see anything."
In the previous weeks, the audio of the police interrogation of Ana María Pérez, the accused's ex-partner, was released two days after the crime.
Pérez stated to the detectives that upon arriving at Valdez Galloso's home, he found no traces of the attack: "No, there was no blood or anything."
About the accused's responsibility, she was categorical: “I cannot assure you that he was or was not, because I did not see it.”
The woman also recounted that when she learned about the case from the news, she called Valdez Galloso and asked him, "What did you do?" to which he hung up the call.
El Taiger was shot on October 3, 2024, in Hialeah. According to the prosecutor's office, Valdez Galloso shot him in the forehead, transported his body in a black Mercedes-Benz, and abandoned it in front of Jackson Memorial Hospital. The artist, 37 years old, passed away seven days later.
The case will have its next procedural hearing on September 2, when the judge will review the status of the investigation and determine whether the trial will be officially scheduled for early 2027.
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