8 to stand trial in Guatemalan lawyer's death

[Judi Lynn]

Jan 29, 4:17 PM EST
8 to stand trial in Guatemalan lawyer's death

judge has ordered eight suspects to stand trial in the killing of a prominent lawyer who accused the country's president of his murder in a video made before his death.

Judge Veronica Galicia said Friday she ordered the eight suspects to stand trial after hearing recorded telephone calls tying them to the killing of attorney Rodrigo Rosenberg.

Earlier this month, U.N. investigators said Rosenberg arranged his own death by contracting the hitmen who killed him. Investigators said Rosenberg may have been motivated by personal problems.

Rosenberg's killing and his video sparked protests against President Alvaro Colom.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_GUATEMALA_LAWYER_KILLED?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2010-01-29-16-17-24

[Peace Patriot]

1. Another bizarre CIA caper, like that "suitcase full of money" thing out of Miami?

I keep smelling that smell.

[Judi Lynn]

2. It IS familiar..... sorta like eggs....

As we noticed, the right leaped IMMEDIATELY, so hungry to seize the moment to march in the streets, with signs advocating the overthrow their leftist, democratically elected President.

As ALWAYS, by the time the truth is uncovered, they are exposed.

Remember that unusually wealthy 28 year old Venezuelan skinhead, "student leader of the opposition" in Maracaibo, Venezuela who trafficked in stolen cars, drugs, and black-market taxpayer-financed student bus passes, Julio Soto, was gunned down in his car and the opposition was ready to use that as an opportunity to overthrow their government again.

http://www.versionfinal.com.ve.nyud.net:8090/66/6/juliosoto.jpg
Julio Soto
In this case, someone here insinuated Hugo Chavez sent the cops to kill him, since it was learned a couple of cops were in on the killing.

[rabs]

3. It was a case of "suicide by self-assassination."

Truly weird. Last night I read the U.N. investigative team's long, long report on Rosenberg's death.

As usual, the AP has it wrong in its short story. The judge did NOT listen to "recorded telephone calls."

Instead, the U.N. team's experts analyzed records of cell phone calls made by Rosenberg to two men (cousins of his first wife) whom he contracted for them to hire sicarios (hitmen) to kill him.

Rosenberg was despondent because his mistress, Marjorie Muza, had been shot and killed along with her father on a downtown street in Guatemala City a month earlier. That case is unresolved still.

Also, Rosenberg's mother had died a few weeks before.

He was also dejected because his second wife had left him and taken their two young children to Mexico. She was demanding $10,000 in child support (report does not say if monthly or yearly or if dollars or quetzales).

So he contacted the two cousins, bought them disposable cellphones, and had a check for U$S40,000 wired to them from Panama City, Panama. The cousins then hired a team of hitmen to carry out the killing.

Rosenberg gathered his staff twice shortly before his death to tell them that he had received numerous death threats. He also filed a will leaving financial benefits in the names of his children. He was setting the stage.

On the day of his death, he went for a bicycle ride, and at a certain spot got off the bike, sat down on the grass with his back to the street. A car came by, one lone gunman got out and fired three shots into Rosenberg's head, one in the neck and one in the chest.

There were no politicians, no government figures and no high police officials involved, although the Guatemalan oligarchy quickly blamed President Colom after Rosenberg's video was broadcast on television.

Rosenberg's video was false, a production of a mentally unstable man.

(edit to correct couple typos)

[Judi Lynn]

4. Thanks for the account. If this information hadn't been uncovered the right would have used this

event to try to topple President Colom. They wouldn't have stopped until he was gone.

Thank goodness there were investigators who pursued the matter until they uncovered the truth, rather than accepting this bizarre situation at face value. Thank goodness the best plans still can go awry!

He did seem very strange in his video. What a cheap, underhanded way to go, off in a burst of lies and slander, trying to destroy the President in the process.