Victims at Temixco died in cross fire revealed the Morelos Prosecutor

Translated by Otis B Fly-Wheel for Borderland Beat from a Proceso article

Subject Matter: Civilians killed in Temixco
Recommendation: Read this article on the original reports of the events

Reporter: Jaime Luis Brito
On social networks there have been two photos published, that appear to have been taken by Forensic staff who attended to remove the bodies of the victims of the massacre of Temixco, in which one can see the women killed in a bath room, in contrast, the Attorney General Javier Perez Duron, claimed it was false that the victims had received a "coup de grace".

In the images one can observe a baby of three months who was killed. The body in an orange colored romper suit was found within a meter of the bath room door. In the interior of the bath room there are four bodies crammed in, with the markers of the Forensic unit marking out the wounds. Two Forensic experts can also be seen, wearing the regulation clothing.

In a press conference in which he would not take questions, the Prosecutor Javier Perez Duron read a brief statement to clarify the information which had been published before, with respect to the statement that the bodies had received a "coup de grace", "this is false", he said.




"It is false that the people who died at the scene of events had received the so called coup de grace. There is no scientific, technical or expert element that indicates it. The autopsies, carried out will full adherence to established protocols, determined that the bodies do not present any characteristics of that condition", he said.

He then insisted that "unfortunately these people died as a result of a crossfire".

On the other hand, he warned that, faced with the decision of a Judge to release the last four detainees, who were charged with the crime of attempted murder, although not linked to trial, the Prosecutors office will file an appeal, as it is considered that the elements to prove the crime are the same that should link them to the crime.

He also said that, having considered that there were elements to prove their guilt in attempted murder, decreeing their detention was legal, that would allow them to be linked to the crime, so " this prosecutor will present an appeal against non attachment to the proceedings, within the deadlines set by the legislation itself, to continue with the investigations and thus demarcate responsibilities and apply justice within the framework of the requirements of the legal system.

In relation to the police elements of the Mando Unico that participated in the operations of November the 30th, in which they arrested five people and a minor, and also resulted in the deaths of two women, a teenager and a three month old baby, the prosecutor pointed out that, " the case is still open" regarding the investigation of the agents.

At the end of the statement, the prosecutor did not accept questions from representatives of the press.

On Thursday, November the 30th, elements of the Mando Unico carried out a series of operations in the Ruben Jaramillo neighborhood of Temixco, where they detained several people.

The Commissioner of Public Security, Jesus Alberto Capella Ibarra, maintained that the victims perished in the crossfire, however, all the detainees were released in the arraignment hearing because of the fact it could not be demonstrated that they had fired any weapons.

The Temixco massacre is one of the most serious violations of human rights involving the state police under the command of Capella Ibarra.

The Mando Unico is the corporation with the most complaints lodged with the State Commission for Human Rights, above all for arbitrary and illegal detentions, torture and abuse of authority.

Milenio also report on this issue

Four of the six killed in Temixco had bullet impacts in the skull

Victor Hernandez, Lawyer for the families of the six people who were assassinated in Temixco, Morelos, said that four people had bullet impacts in the skull.

"We are not saying that these were coup de grace shots, we are saying they had bullet impacts in the their skulls, the four victims that had impacts in the skull, the images are grotesque", said the Lawyer in an interview with Azucena Uresti of Milenio TV.

The Lawyer denounced that someone in the Attorney Generals Office of Morelos had released photographs of the victims killed in the Temixco house this passed 30th of November.

Hernandez enumerated that the elements to make them believe that the six people were executed was the alteration of the evidence, the experts evidence that looting had taken place, to say that the police entered an open door, when all the locks had been forced and report that the shootings took place inside the home, when outside there were spent cartridge cases from rifles, among others.

In an interview with Carlos Puig at Milenio tV, the Morelos Security Commissioner, Alberto Capelo denied the Lawyers statements about the shots to the skulls and said the investigation will be supervised by the Human Rights Organizations.

"We are transparent, we have purified the corporation as much as possible, but there are still scoundrels inside it, this has to be transparent for the sake of the police officers who participated and for the good of the Morelense society, and what we must not lose sight of, is the danger of the suspect that was released by the Judge", said Capella, who revealed that no police had been injured during the operation.

The Commissioner said that Jose Alberto Valdez, El Senor de la B, was highly dangerous and that during the confrontation with the police he had put his family at risk, as he took refuge in the bath room with all his family members and from there attacked the police.

According to the police officer who participated in the confrontation, Valdez decided to surrender, but left the house with his three year old son in his arms, using his son as a human shield.

The Commissioner reiterated: "We submitted an investigation to the police and are subject to the part of the public ministry and any human rights body that wants to investigate the case.

Capella does not know why Valdez was released when he had a criminal record, when the police confiscated an arsenal this year, and for a homicide in 2015.

Reforma have also published a small piece

1. Is it possible to have cross fire in a bath room ?

2. By whom and from where were the victims shot?

3. What weapons were used to kill the victims

4. Why were the shell casings found at the scene not corresponding with the arms carried by the Police?

5. Why were the ballistic proofs of the alleged criminal Jose Valdes, who was set free, negative for having fired a weapon?

6. Why were no sidearms apparent for the alleged criminals?