Accused Cops in Hilberto Sotz Death to be Tried for Manslaughter

Hallett King

Two police officers, who were initially charged with the murder of Hilberto Sotz while he was in a holding cell in San Pedro, will stand trial for manslaughter in the January 2017 session of the Supreme Court. At the end of the preliminary inquiry today, Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith committed both officers, Hallett King and Leonard Nunez, to proceed to trial.  Prosecutor in the case, Inspector Egbert Castillo is relying on a number of statements from police officers including interviews and a caution statement by Nunez and an open statement from King. Nunez was represented by attorney Oscar Selgado, while King was unrepresented at his P.I.  After being committed to stand trial, the two officers saw their old bail revoked and they were offered bail again in the sum of two thousand dollars with conditions. On April fifteenth, 2016 the charge of murder was withdrawn against them for the incident that happened in June 2015. Eighteen-year-old Sotz was badly beaten and died while in detention at the police station on the island.