Confirmada la cadena perpetua al español Pablo Ibar por el tribunal de Florida

La defensa del hispano-estadounidense estudia interponer recurso ante el Tribunal Supremo del Estado

Nuevo varapalo judicial contra Pablo Ibar, ciudadano hispano-estadounidense de origen vasco, declarado culpable en 2000 y condenado a muerte por un triple asesinato ocurrido en 1994. El tribunal de apelaciones del Distrito Cuarto de Florida (EE UU) ha confirmado la condena a cadena perpetua, al rechazar los argumentos que la defensa planteó el pasado 28 de febrero para exigir que se declarase nulo el juicio que condenó a su cliente a cadena perpetua en 2019 y que se celebrase uno nuevo, según ha informado este jueves la Asociación Pablo Ibar-Juicio Justo. “El fallo ha supuesto un gran mazazo para la familia”, asegura en un comunicado. La defensa estudia ahora interponer un recurso ante el Tribunal Supremo de Florida.

El tribunal ha desestimado todos los argumentos esgrimidos por el abogado de Ibar, Joe Nascimento, para que se le levante la reclusión de por vida y se celebre un nuevo juicio. El penado, de 50 años de edad, casado y padre de dos hijos, lleva casi 29 años preso desde que fue detenido bajo la acusación de haber asesinado a Casimir Sucharsky, dueño de un club nocturno, y a las modelos Sharon Anderson y Marie Rogers el 26 de junio de 1994, un triple crimen en el que Ibar siempre negó haber participado. Tras 16 años en el corredor de la muerte, en 2016 un tribunal de apelación anuló esa sentencia al considerar las pruebas “demasiado endebles” y ordenó un nuevo juicio. En 2019, ese nuevo proceso condenó al hispano-estadounidense de origen vasco a cadena perpetua.

“Un golpe demoledor”

El fallo es “un golpe demoledor” para Ibar y su familia, dice la misma asociación. El abogado presentó el pasado 28 de febrero ante el tribunal de apelaciones un escrito de 125 páginas en los que desarrollaba los 12 “motivos sustanciales” por los que pedía la anulación de la cadena perpetua y la celebración de un nuevo juicio. La asociación informa de que el tribunal solo ha analizado uno de estos motivos, el que hacía referencia a la actuación del juez Dennis Bailey, magistrado del último proceso, al que se acusaba de “absoluta parcialidad” en la actuación con un jurado que denunció haber sufrido presiones por parte de sus compañeros para que emitiera un voto favorable a la condena de cadena perpetua.

En la sentencia conocida ahora, los magistrados del tribunal de apelaciones recuerdan que, tres días después de declarar culpable a Ibar, un miembro del jurado llamó al despacho del juez Bailey para expresar su “pesar” por el veredicto de culpabilidad, aunque consideran que este jurado “no mencionó ningún acto indebido”, según se indica en la resolución judicial.

Los jueces han desestimado esta cuestión al señalar que “el miembro del jurado simplemente se arrepintió de su veredicto” y que, siempre según la información facilitada por la asociación que defiende a Ibar, “el mero remordimiento de un miembro del jurado es insuficiente para justificar una intromisión en las deliberaciones del jurado”. “Sencillamente, no había pruebas que sugirieran que el miembro del jurado estuviera influenciado por ningún factor externo ni que hubiera dado consentimiento a un acuerdo entre los miembros del jurado para hacer caso omiso de sus juramentos e instrucciones”, se indica en la resolución. Los magistrados concluyen que en la actuación referida a este miembro del jurado “no hubo supuestos actos perjudiciales manifiestos ni influencia externa”.

El abogado de Ibar tiene previsto presentar una moción al tribunal de apelaciones de Florida en la que solicitará que reconsidere su decisión y analice las 11 cuestiones que no ha entrado a valorar en su último fallo para poder apelar posteriormente ante el Supremo de ese Estado. Precisamente, el Tribunal Supremo de Florida anuló en 2006 la condena impuesta al otro acusado en este caso, Seth Peñalver. En 2016, el mismo tribunal anuló la condena a pena de muerte contra Ibar por las “escasas y débiles” pruebas que había contra el ciudadano hispano-estadounidense.

LEER | Tribunal confirma cadena perpetua para Pablo Ibar

Esta semana, el padre del condenado, Cándido Ibar, junto al letrado estadounidense Nascimento y el portavoz de la Asociación Pablo Ibar-Juicio Justo, Andrés Krakenberger, visitaron el martes el Parlamento vasco, donde estuvieron reunidos con su presidenta, Bakartxo Tejeria. La asociación ha abierto una colecta popular para recaudar fondos que le permitan sufragar el coste del proceso judicial abierto en EE UU.

Source: elpais.com, Mikel Ormazabal, 20 de abril 2023

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