The death penalty, initially requested by the Thai police for Daniel Sancho, may not be the final sentence in his case for the murder of Edwin Arrieta. In an interview given to the program Y Ahora Sonsoles, one of the three judges in the case confirmed that, if the absence of premeditation is proven, the sentence could be reduced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 15 years in prison.
The judge also noted that the trial could take place within two months at the earliest, although this could be delayed depending on the time the Thai Prosecutor’s Office needs to review the evidence and new data from the investigations.
This information dispels the Sancho family’s hopes of moving the trial to Spain, since according to Thai law, the case must be tried in the country where the crime was committed. “The crimes that occurred in Thailand are judged by Thai laws and the Spanish prosecutor’s office cannot intervene,” the magistrate clarified.
The Prosecutor’s Office, meanwhile, has the task of studying all the evidence and setting a date for the trial. “The trial could be held in two months at the earliest. It is an estimated date. If the Prosecutor’s Office takes a long time with the process or if there is more evidence, the process may be prolonged,” the judge explained.
Exclusively, the Sonsoles Ónega program was able to access the interior of the room where the trial will take place. There, three professional judges will hand down a sentence and determine if Sancho is guilty of the alleged murder of Arrieta. Due to the high social relevance of the case, both the press and the family have been allowed access to the courtroom, although recordings are prohibited.
On the other hand, the defense is considering using as mitigating testimony the testimony of an individual who reported harassment by Arrieta, which could further reduce Sancho’s sentence. This is a young man who reported having been harassed and attacked by Arrieta.
This person declared on Antena 3 that he received up to 143 calls from the surgeon, who even physically attacked him. This testimony could be crucial to demonstrate the coercion that Daniel Sancho alleges he suffered from Arrieta.
