Attorney for the victims in Mauricio Leal's case claims that the pre-agreement “violates the right to know the truth”

In the early hours of Monday, November 22, 2021, Mauricio Leal and his mother, Marleny Hernandez lost their lives in their home located in La Calera. A thorough investigation by the authorities left Jhonier Leal, brother and son of the victims, as the sole suspect. On Wednesday, January 19, the stylist also accepted the charges and confessed to perpetrating the crime that ended the life of one of the most renowned stylists in the country. Since then, more details of the situation and the reasons why he would have decided to commit the crime have been revealed.

According to investigations conducted by the authorities in the case, Jhonier Leal's goal was to keep his brother's fortune, which amounted to more than 5 billion pesos, as well as his beauty salon located in the north of the Colombian capital. Even his intentions were so notorious that he left a letter at the crime scene where Mauricio Leal supposedly apologized for what happened and left all his fortune to his brother and nephews. An idea that Jhonier himself orchestrated and executed in a single night.

“I have made a super important and very personal decision freely and voluntarily to accept the charges through an agreement with the Prosecutor's Office, and I take this opportunity to make my expression of repentance, asking forgiveness, first of all, to my family and my children, to the victims and to all of Colombia for the events that have happened.” said Jhonier Leal on 19 January when he agreed to have committed the double murder at the indictment hearing and has since been detained in the prosecution bunker.

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The Prosecutor's Office announced the pre-agreement reached with the fellow stylist to accept his guilt in the events that took place more than four months ago in La Calera, a 25-page document in which the accuser recounts everything that happened that night and how the murder of Mauricio Leal and his mother, Marleny, took place Hernandez. The defendant would pay 27 years in prison for the double homicide and must pay a fine of 250 statutory minimum monthly wages in force. In accordance with the agreement, the accused accepted criminal responsibility for the crime and the concealment of material evidence.

Elmer Montaña, the victims' lawyer, spoke to Noticias Caracol about the agreement reached by the Prosecutor's Office and Jhonier Leal, saying that, “this man, when he turns about 12 years old, will be able to apply for parole, this has outraged the Leal family.” He argues that the preagreement is not exemplary for the victims and neither is the confession. It is important to note that among the victims are Maria Nelly, Maria Diner and Duvier Tabares, relatives of Mauricio and Marleny. Carlos Andrés García, the half-brother of Mauricio and Jhonier, who is also in prison for the crime of sexual abuse of a child under 14, hopes to be recognized as a victim.

“The pre-agreement is not based on Yhonier telling the truth, simply accepting the charges and signing them, I think that is serious, it is a mistake and it must be reviewed. The forgiveness that Jhonier asks is false, in order for him to ask for forgiveness, he has to know the truth, that forgiveness is hollow, he is a liar, that is why the victims will not accept it because forgiveness is not imposed by a law,” Montaña said in an interview with Noticias Caracol.

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