The oral trial for three defendants accused of murdering a student in Lota is set to begin next Monday, following an attack in April of this year that left the victim with approximately 20 stab wounds. The judicial proceedings will take place at the Concepción Criminal Court starting at 8:30 a.m.
The crime occurred on April 19, 2024, when the victim, identified as Jeremy, was attacked after leaving high school. According to reports from biobiochile.cl, the attack took place in the Lota Alto sector, after several of the accused—who were former classmates of the deceased—moved from the Rosauro Santana Polytechnic High School toward that area.
Prosecutors are charging the crime as first-degree murder, citing the use of treachery due to the extreme brutality of the injuries inflicted on the young man. The case has gained significant legal attention due to the application of the Adolescent Responsibility Law.
A legal precedent
Attorney Roberto Quiñilem, representing the victim's mother, noted that although the defendants are now adults, the proceedings are governed by specific regulations. "In this case, regardless of the fact that the defendants are now adults, they are governed by a special regulation, which is the Adolescent Responsibility Law," the lawyer explained.
Quiñilem warned that a sentence imposing the maximum penalty could set an important precedent for the application of said law, given that both the victim and the defendants were minors at the time of the incident. The attorney is seeking a conviction that reflects both the gravity of the crime and the nature of the attack.
The trial is expected to last between 7 and 14 days. This duration is due to the complexity of the evidence, which includes approximately 30 witnesses—some of whom were adolescents at the time of the homicide—as well as documentary and physical evidence.
Meanwhile, the defense for the defendants will present arguments in an effort to secure an acquittal for their clients.
