MIAMI – The trial of Rafael Otano, one of the most two males who stand accused of kidnapping a person and beating him up whilst they have been running as police officials in Hialeah, persisted for the fourth day on Thursday in Miami-Dade County courtroom.
Jose Ortega-Gutierrez persisted his testimony for the 3rd day about the police brutality he mentioned he skilled on Dec. 17 after police officials spoke back to a bakery in Hialeah, handcuffed him, and took him to a desolated house in Miami-Dade County to overcome him up.
Attorney Michael Pizzi, who’s representing Otano, wondered Ortega-Gutierrez about a drug-related arrest on Jan. 17, about his resolution to rent an legal professional to record a civil lawsuit to hunt damages towards town, and about his discuss with to Mount Sinai Hialeah Emergency Center.
“Assaulted while drinking beer at the gas station … was punched in the face by police personnel … patient said he was assaulted by three officers,” Pizzi mentioned whilst studying a file from the health facility.
Ortega-Gutierrez mentioned the commentary attributed to him within the health facility data used to be unsuitable. Ortega-Gutierrez additionally denied having instructed a police officer on Sept. 10, 2021, that he used to be listening to voices and this is why he wanted assist.
Pizzi requested him if his intake of alcohol affected “his ability to observe and recall events.” Ortega-Gutierrez denied it. He did admit that he drank six beers on Dec. 17, and now and again as well as two bottles of vodka day-to-day.
“I am an alcoholic and I don’t deny it,” Ortega-Gutierrez mentioned.
Pizzi requested him to speak about the 12 instances he were given into fights with males, together with one time when he used to be knocked out, in December.
“They knocked me out on the stomach … when one fights you are exposed to getting hit everywhere,” Ortega-Gutierrez mentioned later including that he used to be a educated boxer when he used to be more youthful and lived in Cuba.
Ortega-Gutierrez used to be 50 years outdated when a Miami-Dade police officer discovered him injured and he mentioned Hialeah police officials, together with a tall blond one, have been in charge.
On Wednesday, Pizzi introduced a blond model head to the court to confront Ortega-Gutierrez since Otano, 27, has darkish brown hair.
Detectives investigated Ortega-Gutierrez’s file, and prosecutors charged Otano and Lorenzo Orfila, 22, additionally a Hialeah police officer, with armed kidnapping and battery.
“Nobody is above the law — including the defendant,” Assistant State Attorney Shawn Albuhoff mentioned all over his opening commentary on Monday in courtroom.
Ali Amin Saleh, a personal investigator, later introduced Ortega-Gutierrez cash so he wouldn’t file the thrashing, in keeping with prosecutors. Juan Prietocofino, a notary, used to be accused of fraud for notarizing a testimony Saleh allegedly requested Ortega-Gutierrez to signal.
The detectives’ findings induced Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo Jr. and Hialeah Police Chief George Fuente to terminate Otano and Ofila, who surrendered to stand fees in January.
Orfila may be going through a price of reliable misconduct, and Saleh, 46, is going through a price of witness tampering. Circuit Judge Robert Watson set Orfila’s bond at $20,000 and Otano’s bond at $10,000 in February and ordered space arrest.
In Florida, an armed kidnapping price is a first-degree legal punishable through as much as existence in jail, or as much as existence on probation and as much as $15,000 in fines. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Andrea R. Wolfson is presiding over the case.
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