Justice system upholds 30-year sentence against former baseball player Héctor Roa
The Sentence Execution Court of San Pedro de Macorís has ruled that former baseball player Héctor Roa must continue serving his 30-year prison sentence behind bars. The judicial body formally rejected the request submitted by the convicted man’s defense, which sought to change his penitentiary regime to a semi-open modality.
Roa’s claim consisted of obtaining a benefit that would allow him to leave the penitentiary center during specific days of the week, under the commitment to return to spend the nights during the weekends. After an exhaustive evaluation of the case, the court determined that such a change was not appropriate, maintaining the original sentence imposed for the crime committed in 2014 against his ex-partner, Yeiry Mejía.
Victim’s relatives demand full compliance with the sentence
During the hearing, the vicinity of the San Pedro de Macorís Courthouse was the scene of a demonstration led by Marcia Mejía, the victim’s mother. Accompanied by loved ones and various citizens, the family expressed their firm rejection of any measure that could facilitate an early release for the convicted individual.
The protesters demanded that justice be relentless and that the full 30-year prison sentence be guaranteed, without granting any benefits that would modify the current incarceration conditions of the former athlete.
In addition to the tension inherent in the judicial process, complaints arose from those attending the protest, who claimed to have witnessed mocking gestures from Roa in response to the demands for justice. Although this perception was pointed out by the protesters, the main focus remained on the firmness of the judicial decision that prevents any easing of the sentence.
12 years after the tragic event, Yeiry Mejía’s family continues their fight to ensure no privileges are granted and the imposed sentence is respected. With this resolution, Héctor Roa remains under the regime of absolute deprivation of liberty, serving the maximum penalty established by Dominican law for this type of crime.
