Wrenching videos in adolescent jail fire deaths,

THE FORMER   director of a juvenile detention center where five inmates were burned to death while  onlooking police mocked and mouthed insults as the adolescents screamed for help, covered her ears  as TV footage of the event was played in the Panama courtroom where 12  people were on trial for murderOver five weeks the judge and lawyers and witnesses Second Superior Criminal Court, heard harrowing testimony from two badly scarred survivors of the fire, and parents of those who died from burns received January 9, 2011. The trial ended August 12.

The fire in cell 6 in the Juvenile Detention Center in Tocumen was started by tear gas canisters identified as not for use inside buildings because of fire hazard.

The canisters were thrown into the cell by two accused police officers following a riot elsewhere in the center started over  lack of water for  two weeks, with no showers and malfunctioning toilets forcing inmates to use bags for basic needs. The cell 6 occupants were “trustees” receiving special privileges and did not participate in the disturbances.
The court heard evidence from the mother of one of the boys who, on the morning of the fire had bought three gallons of water to take to the center the next day.
At noon she got a call from Santo Tomas Hospital saying that her son was there with burns.
“The call surprised me. How would someone in there [Tocumen Compliance Center] be burned? I thought it was something minor, unimportant, “she said.
The bus took over an hour travel from December 24 to Santo Tomas. When she arrived, she saw many people and several policemen. “I was identified as the mother of David Frias Jose Renteria, they took me to a doctor who asked: Do you believe in God?” She paused in her testimony in the hushed courtroom.
“The world fell in on me. They left me alone to look from a distance. He had devices everywhere and was all burned. I could hardly recognize him “
At that time, she did not understand how the incident occurred. Then later on television she recognized her son. She saw him with arms raised and hanging skin and police standing around. “I cannot describe how I felt at that time … despair, anger, pain; He did not deserve that, ” she said through tears.
Another mother described that when she heard there was a fire in the Detention Center and she went along with other members of the family to Santo Tomas.
“Upon arrival we were not allowed to see my son, I was told that he was in intensive care for the burns. The doctors told me to have faith and pray” My son wanted to buy a house. He played football and won two trophies that I have at home as a permanent reminder of the things he wanted to do,”
David Suazo, one of two survivors of  cell 6, said  that the fire started after the police put two teargas bombs through the window.
“The bombs fell on the mattress, threw sparks and fire … and as the cell door was padlocked, we could not get out,” he said.
“We shouted for them to help us, and open the door. A firefighters asked them to let him send water … but no one helped us, they let us burn “
Suazo described the taunts of the police l. “When we called for help they answered us saying that if we were not little men we should endure, and why we were crying,” he said.
Suazo identified Second Lieutenant Ernesto Roger Blake and Eduardo Barreno as two of the police officers who mocked.
“We could not breathe my throat burned and I saw my cell mate losing skin and nobody did anything,”
Instead of helping them, he said, one of the guards put his gun through the bars and started shooting.
“I received burns to the hands, chest and legs. I cannot close my hands or raise my arms,” He said that those in cell 6 did not participate in the protest and did not understand why police  shot at them and why they fired tear gas after the cell was closed.
He saw his partner Benjamin Mojica fall to the floor “He was unconscious and I did not know if he was alive or dead.”
” Fireballs were rising to the ceiling and there was no way to escape the heat and smoke…, there was nowhere to go and we could only scream with pain.When we were out of the cell, they put bands on our wrists and threw us to the ground. Some, despite being burned, were beaten with a police baton, “he said.
“When the cell door opened I got a blow to the head that left me dizzy; then they sent me to prison yard… They put us in the ambulance and took us to Santo Thomas where I was in a coma for 13 days

He said that four years later he still has regular nightmares seeing his comrades burned and crying for help.
Another inmate Olmedo Camarena, said he watched guards shooting at occupants of cell 6 and after removal they were beaten and kicked by police.
He confirmed that the inmates of the cell 6 did not participate in the protest as they were trustees and enjoyed some privileges.
“There was never an intention to escape as the police arrived at the scene,” but he said there was an excessive amount of tear gas, birdshot and rubber bullets fired at the inmates.
MEDICAL EVIDENCE
Reports of the evaluations carried out by experts from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences (Imelcf) and produced at a coroner’s hearing, confirmed that several of the inmates had bird shot wounds , The report showed that the victims suffered burns of second and third gradeon 95% of the body.
Three videos of what happened that day ) filmed by Alberto Bernal (Channel 13) and Pompilio Campos (Channel 2) were shown at the trial, and all reports of the Channel 2 newscast on January10.
Images can be seen when two policemen each put a tear gas canister through the window of cell 6. . Minutes later, flames can be seen through the window of the cell.
The taunts of the police who watched what happened and offered no help could be clearly heard
As the images were shown, Iris Cedeno, former director of the prison, choked back tears and covered her ears.
The injured were taken to the back of the prison, along with other inmates involved in the riot. There they were beaten.
The two survivors, David Suazo and Cristian Mora, watched the videos in the audience hall of the Court
Members of the Fire Department of Panama (CBP) claim that they were denied entry to the prison to quell the flames..
Captain Hiram Ponce, Deputy Chief Fire Research CBP inspected the outside of the cell and found a pin with a ring below the window, similar to that used for cans of tear gas.
“It is likely that the fire itself was caused by tear gas. It was the only object that was not related to the environment of the cell ” Ponce said.
Major Juan De Arco, Chief Fire Research CBP inspected the cell and found a piece of a tear gas canister.
“The fire was caused by an external heat source. An internet guide said that the canister sa could not be used in enclosed spaces because could cause a fire, “said De Arco.
MAXIMUM PENALTY
In closing arguments, prosecutor, Geomara Jones, concluded that there was criminal conduct by the police, because they acted with malice even though they knew the danger of tear gas canisters.
“They were burned alive, there was aggression. They were not treated as human beings” she said.
She requested the minimum penalty for the crimes of murder, attempted murder and molestation and abuse for the former director of criminal Iris Cedeno and nine policemen commissioner Luis Ortega; Ernesto lieutenants Blake, Joel Rodriguez and Angel Batista; Dario Caballero sergeants and Luz Padilla; Eduardo out Barreno and agents Maikol Gonzalez and Eduardo Valdes.
Rodriguez and Gonzalez were accused of responsibility for throwing tear gas canisters.
For custodian William Abrego and Alexander De Gracia the prosecutor requested conviction for mischief and cruel and degrading treatment, because the two had no effect on the fire.
The lawyers representing victims and survivors of the event, also requested the conviction of all defendants.
“We must send a message that such massacres cannot continue; here was a crime that shocked the conscience Panama, “said Joaquin Gutierrez family attorney for Benjamin Mojica (one of the five deceased).
The 10 lawyers of the 12 defendants in their pleadings requested an acquittal, after questioning the veracity of the videos.
They said that the accused did their job, which was to put down the riot, and there was never any idea to kill the prisoners.
“The videos do not comply with the formalities of the law, are cut and edited, have a chronological sequence of events and are not the original,” said Rivera Ogami, defense attorney for Batista.
Ronald Hurley, Gonzalez’s attorney, said “It’s all based on that video, twisted research, It is an invention, a planted hypothesis of what happened that manipulated public opinion.
Judge María de Lourdes Estrada presided and filed for a term -of at least 30 days- for sentencing and resolving requests for replacement of precautionary measures.
 PROTECTION STANDARDS
A 2006,resolution for Rules for Adolescent Compliance and Custody Centers says that prisoners are entitled to respect of life, physical integrity and health, and to fair and equitable humane treatment, and entitled to protection from all forms of physical or psychological abuse.
It states that to restore order in case of mutiny “you can only make use of physical coercion measures in exceptional cases, these instruments can only be the police baton, aerosols or irritant gases, made for use in humans, to be used only in extreme emergencies.
The regulation stresses that the actions of physical coercion shall be used only in self-defense against an imminent attack, where necessary prevent inmates from harming themselves, their teammates, officials or third parties. At the same time, measures are compatible with respect for the inherent dignity of the juvenile and to strengthen the institutional treatment, instilling a sense of justice and respect.