The jury finds the accused guilty by majority vote of killing a 15-year-old boy in Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà

BarcelonaThe jury has concluded that the man tried last week at the Barcelona Court to kill a minor under 15 years of age in Sant Hipòlit de Voltregà (Osona) in 2023 He is guilty of homicide. This was the majority decision of the jury, who also unanimously ruled that the defendant is guilty of illegal possession of a firearm, as the crime was committed with a pistol. The prosecution and the private prosecution are seeking sentences exceeding 20 years in prison, and the judge must now determine the exact sentence for the defendant.

Over the past few days, several witnesses and investigators from the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) have testified before the Barcelona Provincial Court to clarify what happened that morning on a central street in the town of Osona. Several witnesses, as the ARA pointed out from the beginningThey stated that it all stemmed from a drug dispute. They described how the deceased minor and two other young men went to the accused's house to confront him about stealing half a gram of cocaine. This sparked an argument "with very loud shouting" and "threats" directed at the accused, who went inside his house and came out with a pistol, which he used to fire a shot. According to witnesses, the accused had a bloody face and shot the young man "at very close range," with shots aimed directly at him. He then fled, and a search was launched. He was eventually found on the side of the road, without the weapon. Neighbors also explained that it wasn't the first time they had seen the man with a gun. The Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) revealed that during a search of the accused's home, they found a revolver holster consistent with the murder weapon. They also indicated that they discovered .22 caliber ammunition, which was the size of the bullet that struck the victim in the head and caused his death. Although the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) were unable to find the murder weapon, the lead investigator said that the discovery of the holster and ammunition strengthened their theory. The officers also explained that, while witnesses initially hesitated to explain the origin of the fight, they eventually admitted it, as they later did in court.

The accused denied the charges.

The defendant also testified during the jury trial at the Barcelona Provincial Court and denied the charges. Specifically, he stated that the victim was shot by a third person who opened fire while the two were fighting. According to his account, on the night of the incident, he met the victim and his friends at a party, and a female friend of the young man asked him to sell her drugs, which he refused. He then claimed that while walking home, the young man and his gang drove up to rob him and take the revolver that killed the minor. Upon arriving at his apartment, he said, he found the door forced open, and the young men attacked him with a glass bottle and an iron bar: "It's a miracle they didn't kill me," the man asserted.

Ultimately, the majority of the jury did not believe his version of events and convicted him. The public prosecutor is requesting a 21-year prison sentence and €170,000 in compensation. Meanwhile, the private prosecution—brought by the mother of the deceased child—is requesting a 22-year prison sentence and €15,000 in compensation.