Jet Set Case: Court to decide on the legal classification of the tragedy
The judicial process derived from the Jet Set case continues its course in the Dominican courts. Judge Franny González, head of the Fourth Criminal Chamber of the National District, has set the hearing for next Friday, October 16, where it will be determined whether the legal classification of the act remains as involuntary manslaughter, as proposed by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, or if it is elevated to voluntary manslaughter under the concept of eventual intent, in accordance with the request of the plaintiff party.
Victims’ arguments
During the recent session, the victims’ defense expressed their firm disagreement with the current classification. Lawyer Iroíto Reyes, who leads the representation of those affected, was emphatic in rejecting that the event be treated under Article 319 of the Penal Code, which refers to involuntary manslaughter.
The plaintiff’s side maintains that there is compelling evidence to apply the concept of eventual intent (dolus eventualis). The defendants allegedly had full knowledge of the critical conditions of the structure and the prior warnings regarding the risk of collapse, omitting the necessary safety measures to prevent the tragedy.
Legal representation of the victims
Expectation regarding the judicial decision
The legal controversy remains at the center of the debate, as the reclassification of the crime would significantly change the focus of the proceedings. The key points that the court will evaluate in the next hearing are:
- The evaluation of the evidence presented regarding the defendants’ prior knowledge.
- The relevance of elevating the severity of the accusation to eventual intent (dolus eventualis).
- The court’s response to the plaintiffs’ request in light of the Public Prosecutor’s position.
So far, the court has not issued a final resolution, so expectations are focused on October 16, the date on which Judge González is expected to define the legal framework under which the trial will continue.
