update about Casa Pia

http://www.cmjornal.xl.pt/detalhe/noticias/nacional/sociedade/todos-absolvidos-dos-crimes-sexuais-de-elvas

Casa Pia Case
All acquitted of sex crimes Elvas
Carlos Cruz, Ferreira Diniz, Manuel Abrantes and Jorge Ritto were all acquitted of sex crimes from the house of Elvas, allegedly committed against former students of Casa Pia. The judgment was read on Monday at 8. Nd Criminal Court of Lisbon.

So....what does that mean? I am completely lost now - all this uproar, going on for years, and the only person in jail is the janitor.

http://expresso.sapo.pt/arguidos-da-casa-pia-absolvidos-no-processo-de-elvas=f796129

Defendants acquitted in the Casa Pia process Elvas
The defendants involved in the case Casa Pia were acquitted today in the process of Elvas, who was tried separately, thanks to the doubts cast by a witness.


The statements of the witness Ilídio Marques, who launched the doubt as to the dates when the crimes were committed, at the end of 1999 or in early 2000. eventually contribute to the acquittal of all defendants in the Casa Pia process Elvas.

In the case of Carlos Cruz, was taken as evidence that the victim was 14 years old at the time of the facts, and the crime was homosexual acts with adolescents, but how, however, crime has ceased to exist, the situation was discriminalizada, and this eventually acquitted.
Sandra Aguiar, a lawyer for former apersentador TV, said out of the reading of the judgment already warned his client "and within some restraint, because it will be arrested within days, Carlos Cruz was satisfied."

"Let's analyze this sentence very carefully to request a revision of the sentence," said Sandra Aguiar.

For Hugo Marcal was different: the only witness that was condemned Ilídio Marques, but as this is portrayed, either in court or in an interview with the Express, though the court did not believe the recantation, was installed to doubt what works in favor of defendant.

"I had a great expectation that this would happen but it was more a feeling than anything empirical.'s The solution that was required but was not totally satisfied because doubt remained," said the ex-Reading the judgment Sonia attorney Christopher Hugo Marcal.

As it had been proven the existence of crime in the house of Elvas, Carlos Silvino, who was accused of bringing young people there was so relieved.

Miguel Matias, lawyer of the victims, says he still can understand the decision as Hugo Marcal but can not see how it makes the leap over Carlos cross without hearing the victim. Spending from 1999 to 2000 without hearing the victim. Will analyze and be more logical recourse.

"There can be no revision of the sentence because despite the doubts, the court gave as proven abuses despite confusion with the dates," he added.



Ler mais: http://expresso.sapo.pt/arguidos-da-casa-pia-absolvidos-no-processo-de-elvas=f796129#ixzz2OZSXnKeY

Don't ask me what it means; I have never seen a legal system like it before.

It's alway seems like such a mess. They should try to simplify it.

Well, The Prosecution did cock up the dates about some of the crimes when one of the accused was clearly out of the country at the time.

One might wonder if this was deliberate.

you welcome bb1,

in my opinion, I think that the responsbiles for the abuse in Casa Pia will be free of punishment, so much tal in court, so much talk about the criminals in court, and for what: to be acquitted.

I don´t understand: in one day, those who suffered the abuse recognize the abusers, in the next day they claim doubts of witnesses. something here is not right. it seems that someone is covering someone.

It's a relief to hear that you don't understand it either, Pedro. I think you are right, unfortunately - whoever was guilty, they are going to walk free.

Apart from the janitor/driver.

lily, Sabot, bb1, your words are mine.

or are mocking with the courts, with such testimonies, waiting for the case to prescribe, which is typical of portuguese justice, because someone has something to gain with the case prescribed.

Posted by portugalpress on April 29, 2014


Casa Pia defendants walk free


After one of the longest and most confusing legal cases in Portugal, two defendants in the Casa Pia pedophile scandal have walked free.

Lisbon’s court of appeal confirmed a previous decision over the “Elvas House” part of the trial that absolved former TV personality Carlos Cruz, lawyer Hugo Marçal, driver Carlos Silvino and Gertrudes Nunes (the owner of the house).

Nunes and Marçal effectively walked free - after the shadow of this high-profile scandal has dogged them since 2003 and 2004, respectively - but Cruz and Silvino, both serving time for pedophile offences also connected to Casa Pia, remain behind bars.

How this decision could affect Cruz, Silvino and any other of the jailed defendents’ sentences remains to be seen.

According to Público newspaper “various protagonists” in the case consider the decision finally brings the 10-year case to a conclusion.

Prosecution lawyer Miguel Matias told Público: “In principle, I will go along with this decision.”

Hugo Marçal’s lawyer agreed: “This saga is closed,” she told Público.

But Carlos Cruz’s lawyer, Ricardo Sá Fernandes, is reported to be of a very different opinion. His client is currently serving a six-year prison sentence after years under house arrest after the scandal first broke.

Cruz has always maintained his innocence and, like many of the defendants in the case, has seen his personal life and professional career torn apart by the allegations, which centred on years of abuse of young boys at the state-run institution.

“Of course this is not over,” Sá Fernandes told Público. The lawyer is still reportedly awaiting a decision by the European Tribunal over a complaint he lodged against the Portuguese state over Cruz’s conviction.

Sá Fernandes also said he was not even aware whether Cruz knew of the appeal court decision. Due to the ongoing prison guards’ strike, he explained that he had been unable to contact his client, but he stressed that he would be working on a new bid to “ask for a revision of the initial sentence”.

His reasoning, he explained, lies in the fact that “nothing happened in Elvas” and that this therefore affects the rest of the charges.

“In this case, Elvas was at the centre of everything,” he said.

Other people jailed as a result of the allegations include former Unesco ambassador Jorge Ritto (now purportedly suffering from terminal illness), doctor Ferreira Dinis (recently released due to his own terminal medical condition) and former Casa Pia boss Manuel Abrantes.

Other high profile names have been connected to the scandal, including a number of welll-known celebrities and even politician


http://portugalresident.com/casa-pia-defendants-walk-free-0

Oh, what a surprise, Max!

It was obvious that the whole thing was a fix; no politicians, judges or police officers were ever charged - a few non-important people were destroyed to make it look as if something was being done. Everything else was swept under the carpet.

Essential reading on the subject:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-488654/Why-Portugal-haven-paedophiles--disturbing-backcloth-Madeleine-case.html