Martinelli threatens revelations as tempers flair in court

In a day of rising tensions in the corridors of Panama’s Supreme Court during the   wiretapping trial of Ricardo Martinelli  on  Tuesday, July 31, shouting matches erupted,  lawyers came near to exchanging blows, and the ex-president screamed at  his escorts  and threatened “revelations”

Sidney Sittón, part of the Martinelli defense team, asked the prosecution to include a score of amendments to the expanded indictment that the prosecutor Judge Harry Díaz had previously delivered to the involved parties.

Sitton also demanded access to all documentary evidence that the prosecutor cited in the indictment.

The defense requests were answered, except for the disclosure of the identity of the protected witness, and access to seven notebooks that contain sensitive information of the victims and to material evidence that the prosecution intends to present at the trial.

After three heated arguments in the hearing room of the court and in the halls, during one of the recesses, The magistrate Jerónimo Mejía, as judge of guarantees, made an unprecedented move with complainants, prosecution, and defense, standing before him as a witness, to an agreement of a non-aggression pact.

One of the victims, Balbina Herrera, and Holanda Polo, Martinelli’s lawyer, had staged a strong exchange of words that required the intervention of security personnel.

One point of contention was the freedom with which Martinelli communicates, through notes, with sympathizers attending the hearings, an action that the complainants consider disrespectful.

Another discussion took place on the stairs of the Court, between Sitton and the independent plaintiff and lawyer  Rosendo Rivera.

Rivera was asking Sitton about messages published on social networks that supposedly made reference to him. Rivera challenged Sitton to speak directly to him. “The verbal exchange seems to have been accompanied by a fist challenge that never happened and security staff broke up the confrontation, reports La Estrella.

When the hearing resumed, Sittón tried to inform the judge of the incident, but Mejía did not allow him to speak. The lawyer only managed to say: “Security is aware of Rivera’s lack of respect”.

The third incident occurred between prosecutor Díaz and defense attorney Alejandro Pérez, between whom there was an intense debate in the courtroom.

When the judge declared a recess for lunch, Sitton and Polo approached the stand. Immediately Rivera, Herrera and the rest of the audience came and talked with Judge Mejía for about twenty minutes. After the meeting, the participants listened to the judge’s instructions.

Herrera said the parties agreed to handle themselves with respect during the process. Sitton added that the judge recommended them to act with professionalism.

During the hearing, prosecutor Díaz complained about Sittón’s behavior on social networks.

On the same day, Martinelli entered the courtroom yelling at his escorts:“Do not touch me. Do not touch me.”

When leaving, shouted that he would give statements that would shake the security forces of the country: “They cannot imagine” he warned. without advancing explanations.