The Verdict: Trial of Men Accused in Haitian President's Assassination
The trial of four men accused of conspiring to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse concluded with a verdict being reached on Friday. Moïse was killed on July 7, 2021, in his bedroom, with his wife, Martine Moïse, also sustaining gunshot wounds during the attack. The defendants in the trial, Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages, were alleged to have collaborated in a plan linked to the president's assassination, with each facing five charges in connection to the case. Thirteen individuals were initially arrested in connection with the assassination, with eight accepting plea deals and one awaiting trial. Intriago, the owner of CTU Security based in Doral, faced additional charges related to the transportation of bulletproof vests from the United States to Haiti as part of the alleged conspiracy. Testimony in court suggested that Intriago's security firm played a role in hiring some of the Colombian individuals who were apprehended in Haiti following the assassination. If found guilty, the defendants could potentially receive life sentences.