Bright, intense and precise were the phrases used by the prosecutor to describe the courtroom atmosphere as a juror was selected in record time to join a nine-member panel, composed of seven women and two men, plus two female substitutes. The defendants, linked to a media group owned by Prensa Ibérica, face the possibility of multiple life sentences for the alleged murders or serious harm suffered by eleven women. The victims allegedly received high-purity cocaine laced with lethal intention, resulting in the deaths of Arliene Ramos, Lady Marcela, and Marta Calvo, with eight others surviving the ordeal.
We are here today because a brave mother pushed for answers, and her persistence helped illuminate the truth surrounding her daughter and the others affected. This mother’s courage, and the public attention sparked by media images, contributed to the courage of the survivors who finally spoke out. Without that determined advocacy, the tragic cases of Arliene and Lady Marcela might have gone unnoticed, and the eight living victims might not have stepped forward to hold the perpetrators to account. The prosecutor reminded the jurors that the witnesses chose to reveal their stories despite fear, and that the case demanded accountability for every action the defendant took.
Discussing the issue of anonymity for the survivors, a noted gender-violence expert was called upon to clarify the status of victims in 2015, when the defense resisted keeping survivors’ identities confidential. The presiding judge made allowances to explain that some victims chose to testify publicly because they believed their experiences could help others, emphasizing that these were