Mariano Herrera Cortés agreed to a settlement reached through his attorney and the Prosecutor. The declaration, made with a desire to resolve the matter quickly, read in court that he preferred to accept the consequences rather than prolong the proceedings.
The defendant appeared before the Third Division of the Zaragoza Court charged with attempting to murder a neighbor by piercing the man with holes created by a screwdriver and later applying an inflammatory liquid to the victim’s feet on July 30 of the previous year. The prosecution charged him with bodily harm and the intent to cause grave injury, noting that the aggression followed an act he believed showed him disrespect in the moment.
Herrera was ultimately sentenced to five years in prison for bodily harm and was ordered to pay a daily sum for a month as punishment for two petty threats. The original request from the prosecution had been for a longer term, including a separate eight-year sentence for attempted murder and an additional eight months for the threats. In addition, Herrera was required to compensate the victim with 3,470 euros for injuries resulting from the screwdriver perforations, which included intestinal injuries and extensive wounds across the back and torso documented by a forensic report as a serious medical condition that required an extended recovery period of 81 days.
The agreement also involved a provision about the location of the offender. Because the alleged aggressor and victim resided in close proximity, authorities verified the distance as part of the sentence conditions. Herrera expressed concern about the geographic proximity, explaining that he lived on the street and that the nearby address had a significant impact on how the enforcement would be carried out. He estimated the distance as roughly 200 meters, although he suggested the number might be a bit less. The court reminded Herrera that the shanty house where he had lived before his detention had been boarded up as part of pre-trial measures.
Next to the Zaragoza Fire Department
The events unfolded on July 30, 2021, at around 20:00 near the Zaragoza Fire Department on Ramón y Cajal Street, during a dispute between the attacker and the victim. The argument escalated when Herrera went to retrieve a screwdriver and then returned to strike. He aimed several blows at the victim’s shoulder, neck, arm, and abdomen, executing the attack without chasing the man into a confrontation thereafter.
After the assault, the victim made his way home on Pignatelli Street. There, he relayed that the injury had occurred because of the perceived disrespect. The home environment at that time involved the victim’s spouse and other neighbors who were present and observed the tension of the evening. The assailant, who had covered his face to avoid being photographed, did not find the response satisfactory and acted aggressively by attempting to ignite a liquid on his feet with a lighter. The attempt failed when the spouse intervened, pushing him back inside the dwelling.