The popular jury has ruled that there is no reason to consider an aggravating factor of discrimination due to racism in the murder of the Maghreb Younes Bilal, which occurred in June 2021. The Prosecutor’s Office, which requested 25 years in the first instance, contemplated that the death occurred due to “her race” and “discriminatory reasons, has been reduced to 22 years due to the lack of an aggravating factor of discrimination, as assessed by the jury.
The confessed murderer of Bilal, Carlos Patricio B.M., has been found guilty of firing three shots that hit the Moroccan, in addition to also being accused of illegal possession of weapons.
The murderer, a 55-year-old ex-military man, upon entering the cafeteria where Younes and other Moroccans who accompanied him were, referred to them as “fucking Moors”, in addition to repeatedly shouting that he “didn’t want Moors.” . During the argument, and with his hand resting on his gun, he confronted Younes, saying: “Get up if you’re so brave and I’ll kill you.”
Despite the serious insults, the popular jury, made up of 9 members, has not agreed to reliably prove the aggravating circumstance of discrimination that the Prosecutor’s Office contemplated and requested, which would have increased the prison sentence to up to 25 years. The accused tried to excuse himself from the state of intoxication in which he was, hiding behind the fact that it was “never” his intention to kill him but that “it came out like that”, an issue that the jury has also rejected.
With the verdict of the popular jury, it will now be the president of the court who will have to dictate the sentence imposed. Since the aggravating circumstance of hate crime could not be proven, the Prosecutor’s Office, whose position was that Younes’ death occurred due to “his race” and “discriminatory reasons”, has reduced his request for a sentence to 25 to 22 years for the crimes of murder and illegal possession of weapons; as well as the prohibition of residing or going to Mazarrón for 10 years.
Furthermore, in terms of civil liability, the Public Ministry does not include modifications, requesting compensation to the wife and son of the deceased – a minor – with 190,000 euros, and to his parents, with 90,000 euros.
