A Spanish court said on Thursday that it had overturned the conviction of a man previously sentenced to 10 years in prison for his involvement in the 2021 killing of a gay man – a case that provoked national outrage.
Samuel Luiz, a 24-year-old nursing assistant originally from Brazil, died in a hospital after being brutally beaten by a group of men outside a nightclub in A Coruña, Galicia, in July 2021.
Four individuals were convicted in connection with Luiz’s death, receiving prison terms between 10 and 24 years. The stiffest sentence was handed down to the main perpetrator, who had shouted homophobic slurs during the assault. ALSO READ: Galicia court sentences 4 men to jail for 10 to 24 years for ‘savage’ homophobic murder.
Among those convicted was Alejandro M.R., who was sentenced to a decade in prison as an accomplice. He was accused of obstructing Luiz’s escape and stopping bystanders from assisting him.
However, the top court in Galicia ruled on Thursday to annul his conviction due to insufficient evidence.
‘No eyewitness states they saw him strike, confront the victim, prevent him from being helped, nor impeding his escape,’ the court stated.
The court noted that one witness actually described Alejandro distancing himself from the assailants and crossing the street – ‘a favourable testimony that the jurors did not take into account’, it said.
The killing prompted widespread condemnation, including from Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, and sparked nationwide protests in a country known for its progressive stance on LGBTQ+ rights.
Appeals filed by the other three convicted individuals – whose sentences ranged from 20 to 24 years – were dismissed by the court.
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