The footballer is appealing against the pre-trial detention
Dani Alves’ lawyer, Cristóbal Martell, filed an appeal with the Barcelona Investigating Magistrate Number 15 on Monday, demanding the release of the footballer.
Barcelona’s lawyer has appealed against the pre-trial detention order issued by the judge on January 20. He has argued that there is no flight risk and that his client is innocent because, according to his version, the relationships in the discotheque were consensual. Alves spent ten days in Brians prison, in the province of Barcelona. He is accused of assaulting a 23-year-old girl in a nightclub in Barcelona on December 30.
The former Barça and Sevilla player’s appeal is based on the fact that there are alternative measures to pre-trial detention and that there is no risk of escape. The Brazilian footballer assures that he has roots in the Catalan capital, where he has a home and businesses. He also points out that he has always cooperated with the investigation since he voluntarily returned to Spain from Mexico, where he played for Pumas. After reporting to the Mossos, he was arrested and brought to trial.
The footballer’s defense also points out as proof that there is no risk of flight that he undertakes to wear a telematics bracelet, to be reachable at all times, that he is ready to declare daily in court, that he has his passport will hand over and a million dollar bail as proof of the football players’ will to cover any economic responsibility determined after the trial. The judge justified her order to imprison him because of the footballer’s high risk of flight and also because of the high penalty that comes with a conviction for sexual assault. His lawyer is now trying to prove in court that there is no will to flee Barcelona.
On January 24, Alves hired lawyer Cristóbal Martell, a lawyer who has defended Messi or the Pujol family in the past and is an expert in out-of-court settlements. His first goal is to try to free the footballer so that he can investigate the case from prison. Alves is accused of assaulting and raping a young woman at Sutton nightclub in the Catalan capital. To date, he has given up to three different versions of the events that took place on December 30. First he said that he did not know the victim, then that he ran into her in the local toilets and finally that there were relations, but consensual. The Brazilian has claimed that he initially did not admit to the relationship to try and hide an infidelity to his wife. The victim, on the other hand, has stuck to the same version since the beginning of the case. He assured that he followed the footballer without knowing that they went to the bathroom. Once inside, he beat her and raped her.
Following Alves’ appeal, the parties have five days to file charges. Both the prosecution and the victim’s defense will give their opinion on whether the footballer can get out of prison on charges. It will be the Barcelona court that will make a decision.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
