In yesterday’s session, the Prosecutor proposed to the defense that they accept the testimony of Mr. Francisco Navarro, Jr., in its entirety, in order to close his case. The defense agreed to the Prosecutor’s request on the condition that the Prosecutor present the testimony of policeman Bonilla and of Messrs. Betancourt and Sulsona, very important testimonies that he had presented the Prosecutor in the case, before dissolving the first Jury. The Prosecutor then announced that he had discarded Messrs. Bonilla, Betancourt, and Sulsona as his witnesses. The defense then announced that it could not agree to the Prosecutor’s request with respect to the testimony of Francisco Navarro, Jr., because if this testimony suited the Prosecutor’s theory, it suited the interest of public justice that the Prosecutor re-present his witnesses, Messrs. Bonilla, Betancourt, and Sulsona.
If said testimony suited the Prosecutor’s theory, he should accept the rest of his own evidence presented by him, and thus the Jury could reach a fair verdict.
The Prosecutor has remained firm in discarding Messrs. Bonilla, Betancourt, and Sulsona, testimonies that prove conclusively that don José Santiago, was brutal- ly murdered by the Police at the entrance of the University on October 24 of last year.
Dionisio Pearson, the only survivor of the Masacre de Río Piedras that occurred on October 24, 1935, was accused of the crimes of murder, attempted murder, and carrying weapons. He was put on trial, and Albizu Campos acted as his principal defense lawyer, along with other prestigious lawyers. He was acquitted by the jury on March 18, 1936.