Judge declares Sobeida Felix and F. Agosto in contempt
The magistrate suspended the preliminary hearing until 23 June, after issuing verdict
SANTO DOMINGO. Besides declaring the fugitives Jose Figueroa Agosto , his wife Leavy Nin Batista, and his lover Sobeida Felix Morel to be in contempt of court, the substitute magistrate of the Second Chamber of the Court of Instruction of the National District, Pilades Hernandez Mendez, ordered their arrest and prohibited them from travelling out of the country.
Likewise the magistrate also ordered that the personal data of the accused be publicized in order to facilitate their arrest.
In the case of Sobeida Felix Morel, regarding her status as being in contempt of court, which was in place before she was formally charged, the Seventh Court of Instruction, as the tribunal in control of the case, made a similar decision.
The judge issued a stay in the case against Figueroa Agosto, Felix Morel and Nin Batista until they are bought before the courts or they appear voluntarily.
The decision was adopted at the request of the assistant prosecutor Bienvenido Fabian Melo, who said that the accused were duly cited and did not appear.
Likewise, the assistant prosecutor said that this was a factor that necessarily had to bring about the suspension of the hearing. Judge Hernandez postponed the process until 23 July at 10:00 a.m., after issuing the decree of contempt of court.
Previously, the judge established that in the next hearing he would set the court calendar and decide which relatives of the accused would be allowed to be present in the courtroom. The lawyer for Mary Pelaez and Sammy Dauhajre, Jose Rafael Ariza, had asked that the cases of Figueroa Agosto, Feliz Morel and Nin Batista be separated from the other accused.
At the same time, the lawyer for the fugitive Sobeida, Felix Humberto Portes, announced that he would file a brief of opposition against the judge's decision, because "(his client) had been improperly cited by the court and therefore cannot be said to be in contempt of court".
The hearing, which lasted 45 minutes, was held under strict security measures. They even went so far as place two strips of yellow tape all along the hallway that gives access to the courtroom forming a barrier for the security controls in the Palace of Justice in Ciudad Nueva.
The magistrate moved, due to questions of space, to the courtroom of the First Collegiate Tribunal of the Penal Chamber of the Court of the First Instance, located on the first floor.
The hearing was attended by the accused, Mary Pelaez Frappier, Eddy Brito and Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra and Ivanovich Smester, who were transferred from the Najayo Prison.
Likewise, Sammy Dauhajre, Adolfina Revecca Pelaez (Dolphy) and Madelin Bernard, the widow of the assassinated former lieutenant colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez Gonzalez also appeared in court. These persons are free on bail or in protective custody. Bernard was taken into the courtroom in a wheelchair where two white pillows "protected" her. She was later assisted by the special guards, who helped her get into the SUV that took her to the place where the authorities are holding her under the tightest security.
Controls and security measures
The Palace of Justice of Ciudad Nueva was sealed off by a police contingent.
Fabio Fiallo Street, which runs along the front of the Courthouse, was closed off by a steel gate.
The people that entered in order to go to the different sections of the District Attorney's office, were meticulously searched at the entrance to the building.
Likewise the magistrate also ordered that the personal data of the accused be publicized in order to facilitate their arrest.
In the case of Sobeida Felix Morel, regarding her status as being in contempt of court, which was in place before she was formally charged, the Seventh Court of Instruction, as the tribunal in control of the case, made a similar decision.
The judge issued a stay in the case against Figueroa Agosto, Felix Morel and Nin Batista until they are bought before the courts or they appear voluntarily.
The decision was adopted at the request of the assistant prosecutor Bienvenido Fabian Melo, who said that the accused were duly cited and did not appear.
Likewise, the assistant prosecutor said that this was a factor that necessarily had to bring about the suspension of the hearing. Judge Hernandez postponed the process until 23 July at 10:00 a.m., after issuing the decree of contempt of court.
Previously, the judge established that in the next hearing he would set the court calendar and decide which relatives of the accused would be allowed to be present in the courtroom. The lawyer for Mary Pelaez and Sammy Dauhajre, Jose Rafael Ariza, had asked that the cases of Figueroa Agosto, Feliz Morel and Nin Batista be separated from the other accused.
At the same time, the lawyer for the fugitive Sobeida, Felix Humberto Portes, announced that he would file a brief of opposition against the judge's decision, because "(his client) had been improperly cited by the court and therefore cannot be said to be in contempt of court".
The hearing, which lasted 45 minutes, was held under strict security measures. They even went so far as place two strips of yellow tape all along the hallway that gives access to the courtroom forming a barrier for the security controls in the Palace of Justice in Ciudad Nueva.
The magistrate moved, due to questions of space, to the courtroom of the First Collegiate Tribunal of the Penal Chamber of the Court of the First Instance, located on the first floor.
The hearing was attended by the accused, Mary Pelaez Frappier, Eddy Brito and Juan Jose Fernandez Ibarra and Ivanovich Smester, who were transferred from the Najayo Prison.
Likewise, Sammy Dauhajre, Adolfina Revecca Pelaez (Dolphy) and Madelin Bernard, the widow of the assassinated former lieutenant colonel Jose Amado Gonzalez Gonzalez also appeared in court. These persons are free on bail or in protective custody. Bernard was taken into the courtroom in a wheelchair where two white pillows "protected" her. She was later assisted by the special guards, who helped her get into the SUV that took her to the place where the authorities are holding her under the tightest security.
Controls and security measures
The Palace of Justice of Ciudad Nueva was sealed off by a police contingent.
Fabio Fiallo Street, which runs along the front of the Courthouse, was closed off by a steel gate.
The people that entered in order to go to the different sections of the District Attorney's office, were meticulously searched at the entrance to the building.
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