Young man sentenced to 14 years for murder in Torres Vedras

The young man accused of a murder, in 2022, in Torres Vedras, in the Lisbon district, was, this Wednesday, sentenced to 14 years in prison for simple homicide, but the defense lawyer has already said he will appeal.

According to the judge in the case, the defendant Bruno Romão, 22 years old, was “acquitted of the crime of aggravated homicide and convicted of simple homicide”, which carries a criminal sentence of between 8 and 16 years, with a prison sentence being fixed. in 14 years.

Bruno Romão was on trial for aggravated homicide, but in view of the evidence produced, the court decided to charge him with simple homicide, which resulted in a reduction of the sentence.

The crime took place during the Carnival of Torres Vedras, in the early morning of February 26, 2022, when the defendant Bruno Romão found the victim in the street with his ex-girlfriend.

In the first session of the trial, the defendant acknowledged that he killed a 32-year-old man.

In the indictment, as described by the Public Ministry (MP), the defendant was moved “by unfounded jealousy and his thirst for contempt”, although Bruno Romão denies this thesis.

Without investigating the reasons for the homicide, “there is no doubt that there was a fight between the accused and the victim and that, at a certain point, Bruno pulled out the knife he had in his possession and stabbed it into the victim’s chest”, considered the prosecutor MP.

In the first session of the trial, which took place at the Court of Loures, the accused alleged a “blackout” in his memory, as he was under the influence of alcohol and hashish.

Leaving court, the defense lawyer, Vítor Carreto, told journalists that he would appeal the decision.

During the reading of the sentence, the defendant was visibly moved, as the judge listed the events that occurred that night.

According to the judge, the court proved that the defendant was drunk and had consumed drugs, in addition to having the murder weapon in his possession.

The judge also pointed out that the fact that he had a criminal record for domestic violence weighed heavily in the conviction.

“The court has to consider, despite [o arguido] being 23/24 years old, in that youth he already has two convictions for domestic violence and suspended prison sentences, the last of which in 2019”, said the judge, recalling that the facts occurred “in a period of probation”.

According to the judge, the defendant also demonstrated “great difficulty in respecting the rules”, by denoting that, during a year in prison, and despite not having contributed to the sentence, the young man had already registered “two disciplinary incidents in prison “.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office (MP) asked for the conviction of the young man, although he did not suggest a prison sentence.

During the trial, the defense lawyer criticized an “unforgivable flaw” in the process: “no one from the Judiciary Police and the Public Security Police remembered to carry out an alcohol test and drug screening” on the defendant, also emphasizing that it was not authorized expertise in this matter.

Recognizing that Bruno Romão was “repentant from the first hour”, the lawyer asked that the sentence not exceed eight and a half years in prison, remembering the young man’s age (22 years old at the time of the facts), for which he deserved “an opportunity ” for the future, he argued.