They agree to request a 12-year sentence for the transfemicide of Ayelén: "What kind of justice is this?"
In a surprising abbreviated trial for the transfemicide of Ayelén Gómez in Tucumán, the only defendant assumed authorship of the crime and a sentence was agreed upon.
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The trial for the transfemicide of Ayelén Gómez, the young trans woman murdered in Tucumán in August 2017, ended with a plea agreement for a 12-year prison sentence. Adrián Miranda, the only defendant in a highly criticized investigation, took responsibility for the crime in what was a plea bargain for manslaughter , as the court never accepted the request to change the charge to transfemicide.
's body was found under one of the stands at the Lawn Tennis Club in the capital of Tucumán . The autopsy indicated that she died from mechanical asphyxiation by suffocation. She was naked, with bruises and dirt in her throat. From the outset, the prosecution considered the possibility of more than one person being involved. Recently, DNA evidence has come to light suggesting that three more people are strongly suspected of involvement in the crime.
Surprising summary trial
“This situation took us by surprise. And at the request of Ayelén’s mother, we accepted,” says Martín González, lawyer for the organization Andhes (Lawyers for Human Rights and Social Studies), from the legal team.
At 9:00 a.m., the scheduled start time for the trial , a demonstration was held outside the criminal courts in San Miguel. Ayelén's family members were present, along with representatives from social organizations, to demand justice. "Our main goal was to ensure a gender perspective was applied in the proceedings, given that the request to change the charges was never granted," explains González. She is referring to the prosecution's request to change the charge to transfemicide.
"We need trans-feminist justice"
The media were not allowed access to the hearing. After the verdict was announced, Andhes issued a brief statement saying: “This is a first step, but we need a justice system with a trans-feminist perspective that incorporates aggravating circumstances in gender-based crimes, particularly transfemicides and travesticides , understanding the structural and systematic violence that Ayelén suffered. We hope that the sentence incorporates the plaintiffs' recommendations.”
What kind of justice is this?
"Throughout these past four years, he never admitted his guilt, always saying he had nothing to do with it. Now he says he killed Ayelén, and they're going to give him 12 years? What kind of justice is this?" says Yohana Gómez, Ayelén's sister.
“There are still positive and restorative measures needed for the trans community, and we will continue fighting for them. We will continue demanding justice for Ayelén and await the verdict,” says the lawyer for the organization supporting the family. The judges are expected to issue their ruling this week, which will reveal whether the sentence will be 12 years, as requested by the prosecution.
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