Incinerated adolescents not part of riot

THE  FIVE ADOLESCENTS  who were incinerated  in the Tocumen Detention Center on January 9, 2011  while police stood by jeering,  were not involved in the protests that led to the intervention of the National Police says a witness.

Francisco Espino, who at the  time was serving a sentence for robbery, said that the detainees of cell 6were “on  trust” and in order not to lose their privileges they ignored the call by their peers to protest against the lack of water. For this reason, according to Espino, the cell was locked when a tear gas canister thrown by the police set fire one of the mattresses.

During the hearing there was an exchange of words between the police attorney, Sharon De La Rosa, and the prosecutor, Geomara Jones, which prompted Judge Maria Lourdes Estrada, to call for order. It wasn’t clearly what they said, but De La Rosa said she will file a complaint against the prosecutor for “disrespect”. She said that Jones “has shown animosity towards  the police”.