Canarian Weekly
22-02-2013, 13:20
THE murder trial of Bulgarian Deyan Deyanov is due to conclude on Friday, February 22nd, with the jury presenting their verdict following several days of gruelling testimony describing the horrific killing of 60 year-old Jennifer Mills-Westley on May 13th, 2011 in Los Cristianos.
As the trial reached the end of the penultimate day, the court heard testimony via video link from a couple inWarrington,UK, describing the brutal attack in such detail that Ms. Mills-Westley’s daughter Samantha was unable to hold back the tears.
The trial had kicked off on Monday with the prosecution and defence both stating their cases to the nine-member jury.
The victim is survived by daughters Sarah Louise Mears and Samantha Mills-Westley who were in attendance along with Ms Mear’s partner and the victim’s brother and wife, at the Palacio de Justicia, in the island’s capital,Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
On Monday Deyanov sat motionless dressed in a grey jumper and dark tracksuit bottoms and trainers with his back to the public, guarded by two armed National Police Officers.
The trial began with the court official detailing the attack, the resulting investigation and the murder charges against the accused.
He stated that the prosecution were calling for 20 years detention in a secure psychiatric unit and 200,000 euros compensation for the victim’s family.
The prosecutor addressed the jury with his opening statement claiming he had clear proof that Deyanov was guilty.
He then explained how he expected the case to proceed.
Attention then turned to the defense, who reiterated much of what the prosecutor had said.
He then urged the jury to disregard any sensational press reporting they may have been exposed to. “These are serious charges, “said lawyer Francisco Beltran Aroca, “and the prosecution will be presenting my client as a killer as has the press, however he is a sick man.
“A sick person needs help, which he never had, and without it, it’s easy to turn to crime. Without help they will do things with no awareness of the gravity or consequences of their actions.
“I ask you to put yourselves in his position, living on the streets, struggling with mental health issues, so I ask you for a verdict and a punishment proportional to the crime whilst bearing in mind the mental state of the accused.”
As court usher prepared video equipment to show footage from the scene of the crime, Deyanov demanded that he too be allowed to see the evidence and his chair was turned to reveal his handcuffed wrists on the table in front of him.
He stared unblinking at the screen with no sign of remorse in his dark rimmed eyes.
The court fell silent as the violent and distressing images were shown to which some were seen to react in horror.
The evidence went on for more than ten minutes, during which time Deyanov became increasingly restless, but never taking his eyes from the screen.
Throughout, the proceedings the victim’s family, who were not exposed to the shocking images, sat quietly in the front row of the spectator section clearly at a loss as to what was taking place before them in the Spanish court.
Deyanov was then questioned by the prosecution and the defence, after confirming to the judge he understood his rights.
He did not understand however of what he was accused, despite seeing the video. He claimed to have no recollection of the day or the events and after the blood stained knife was produced as evidence he once again stated he recalled nothing, not even that he’d been inTenerife. Finally the prosecution asked if he was taking medication for his condition at this time to which he replied no.
The defence then set about showing that Deyanov was and is seriously disturbed. After re-establishing his lack of memory of the incident he asked him did you do drugs.
“Yes he said, crack and LSD.”
“You told me you hear voices”
“Yes.” he said
“What do they say?”
“They tell me I’m an angel of Jesus Christ. I’ve heard these voices for five years they are my guardians, they look after me. Sometimes they say kill, sometimes they say fight, hit, pray”
With that the judge then called Sarah Mears to take the stand on the matter of compensation.
Sarah showed little emotion as she stated that she had no previous knowledge of the accused nor did her mother, “I just want justice for my mum.”
Two witnesses then gave their evidence, both confirming the identity of the accused claiming he was the same man they had seen, covered in blood from the waist down and carrying the victim’s head in his right hand. They said he’d appeared extremely agitated as he ran from the Chinese shop.
The trial will conclude with the jury’s verdict and sentencing by the presiding judge
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/im-angel-jesus-christ/)
As the trial reached the end of the penultimate day, the court heard testimony via video link from a couple inWarrington,UK, describing the brutal attack in such detail that Ms. Mills-Westley’s daughter Samantha was unable to hold back the tears.
The trial had kicked off on Monday with the prosecution and defence both stating their cases to the nine-member jury.
The victim is survived by daughters Sarah Louise Mears and Samantha Mills-Westley who were in attendance along with Ms Mear’s partner and the victim’s brother and wife, at the Palacio de Justicia, in the island’s capital,Santa Cruz de Tenerife.
On Monday Deyanov sat motionless dressed in a grey jumper and dark tracksuit bottoms and trainers with his back to the public, guarded by two armed National Police Officers.
The trial began with the court official detailing the attack, the resulting investigation and the murder charges against the accused.
He stated that the prosecution were calling for 20 years detention in a secure psychiatric unit and 200,000 euros compensation for the victim’s family.
The prosecutor addressed the jury with his opening statement claiming he had clear proof that Deyanov was guilty.
He then explained how he expected the case to proceed.
Attention then turned to the defense, who reiterated much of what the prosecutor had said.
He then urged the jury to disregard any sensational press reporting they may have been exposed to. “These are serious charges, “said lawyer Francisco Beltran Aroca, “and the prosecution will be presenting my client as a killer as has the press, however he is a sick man.
“A sick person needs help, which he never had, and without it, it’s easy to turn to crime. Without help they will do things with no awareness of the gravity or consequences of their actions.
“I ask you to put yourselves in his position, living on the streets, struggling with mental health issues, so I ask you for a verdict and a punishment proportional to the crime whilst bearing in mind the mental state of the accused.”
As court usher prepared video equipment to show footage from the scene of the crime, Deyanov demanded that he too be allowed to see the evidence and his chair was turned to reveal his handcuffed wrists on the table in front of him.
He stared unblinking at the screen with no sign of remorse in his dark rimmed eyes.
The court fell silent as the violent and distressing images were shown to which some were seen to react in horror.
The evidence went on for more than ten minutes, during which time Deyanov became increasingly restless, but never taking his eyes from the screen.
Throughout, the proceedings the victim’s family, who were not exposed to the shocking images, sat quietly in the front row of the spectator section clearly at a loss as to what was taking place before them in the Spanish court.
Deyanov was then questioned by the prosecution and the defence, after confirming to the judge he understood his rights.
He did not understand however of what he was accused, despite seeing the video. He claimed to have no recollection of the day or the events and after the blood stained knife was produced as evidence he once again stated he recalled nothing, not even that he’d been inTenerife. Finally the prosecution asked if he was taking medication for his condition at this time to which he replied no.
The defence then set about showing that Deyanov was and is seriously disturbed. After re-establishing his lack of memory of the incident he asked him did you do drugs.
“Yes he said, crack and LSD.”
“You told me you hear voices”
“Yes.” he said
“What do they say?”
“They tell me I’m an angel of Jesus Christ. I’ve heard these voices for five years they are my guardians, they look after me. Sometimes they say kill, sometimes they say fight, hit, pray”
With that the judge then called Sarah Mears to take the stand on the matter of compensation.
Sarah showed little emotion as she stated that she had no previous knowledge of the accused nor did her mother, “I just want justice for my mum.”
Two witnesses then gave their evidence, both confirming the identity of the accused claiming he was the same man they had seen, covered in blood from the waist down and carrying the victim’s head in his right hand. They said he’d appeared extremely agitated as he ran from the Chinese shop.
The trial will conclude with the jury’s verdict and sentencing by the presiding judge
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/im-angel-jesus-christ/)