The judge has ordered the provisional release of Pepe M., the 66-year-old man imprisoned for killing the thief who tried to steal a gold chain from him, in the Bon Pastor neighborhood of Barcelona. The man is expected to be released this afternoon, with a prohibition on leaving the territory, and the obligation to appear in court when summoned, according to judicial sources. The prosecution had requested that the man remain under house arrest, with one and a half hour daily outings, after accessing the man’s vulnerability reports, while the defense had requested his release. Pepe M., who moves in a wheelchair due to severe breathing problems, has spent 9 days in the Brians 1 prison in Barcelona, where he returned at one in the afternoon awaiting the measure to take effect.
The incident took place on Sunday, April 5, shortly before two in the afternoon. Pepe went out to sunbathe right next to his house. He was in his wheelchair due to the severe difficulties he has walking without suffocating, and the fainting spells he suffers. His wife, Paquita, was watching him from her window to make sure everything was fine. Suddenly, she saw him gesturing strangely.
When they went down, they discovered what had happened: an 18-year-old young man lunged at him to steal the gold chain he was wearing around his neck, and Pepe responded using the knife he usually carries. He wounded him in the chest, and the thief died at the scene of the attempted robbery. The victim, of Algerian origin, already had a criminal record for thefts.
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The Mossos arrested Pepe M. at the scene, but immediately transferred him to Vall d’Hebron hospital due to his complex health condition. Two days later, on April 7, a court hearing was held to decide his situation. To the surprise of his family, the prosecution requested provisional detention with communication and no bail due to the seriousness of the crime, a homicide, and a supposed risk of flight.
The neighborhood’s reaction was a loud protest the next day. “We are all Pepe!” they shouted, in support of the man, his wife, and two children. Then, the family expressed confidence that justice would eventually release him. And that it would allow him to await trial with the necessary precautionary measures, but from home. Something that is finally expected to happen today, just over a week later.
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