Not expecting to go to jail, then?
Ortega Cano is a famous bullfighter who drunkenly hit and run a man in 2011, killing him.
After a long fight by the family of the deceased, which saw Seville Authorities doing all they could to not prosecute Ortega (police tampering with the evidence, judges dismissing evidence, witnesses being intimidated, etc etc etc) eventually, thanks to media pressure and overwhelming cockiness by Ortega’s family, he was sent down for two and a half years last year.
Amazing – Seville is well known for being a town whose official policy is to turn a blind eye towards the little pecadillos committed b
Since then, he’s continued to swagger around town on a bunch of pretences. On the day he was supposed to enter prison he was rushed to hospital with heart problems (and, mysteriously, released the same day the courts allowed him a grace period). When that expired, he went and asked for an official pardon, which was promptly accepted for consideration, meaning he can’t go to jail until the politicians decide whether or not to send down their mate.
Meanwhile, his son has been remanded in custody until a court appearance, as a judge reckons he’s a nasty piece of work who’s looking at up to 8 years in jail for attacking a fellow customer in a brothel.
Where was I? Oh, yes, he’s been shopping for a new home and just blown 2,3 million on a new farm in Extremadura, next door to ex-president of the nation, Felipe Gonzalez.
The bullfighter was on telly recently explaining how he wants to breed the very best bullfighting bulls, and wants to bring back some extinct species. Also he’s raising pigs, etc.
“I’m a man of the world” he explained. “I’ve got houses in Madrid, another in Chipiona, one in Sanlúcar de Barrameda…”
None of them really in the world, mate.
The new home is in prime VIP territory. Felipe Gonzalez has a farm nearby. Alejandro Sanz, the singer, has a retreat in the mountains above him. Pepe Barroso, founder of the Don Algodon clothing range lives nearby, and Ana Quintero off the telly also has a little place closeby. It seems Badajoz has more VIP’s per square metre than gitanos….
Anyway, Ortega’s not likely to go to jail any time soon. In theory, the judge could order him to go to prison before a deadline in mid-January….. but the Judge is on holiday until the end of the month, and his substitute has said he’s not going to gain say him.
Then he’s into the pardon consideration period, which could take up to 10 months, and can’t be jailed until a decision is made.
His defense lawyer insists he is cooperating with Justice. “He’s already been asked to voluntarily go to jail” explained his lawyer. “He is keeping his options open, but has volunteered to check-in once every 15 days”.
I’m not making this up, you know….
Some good news – the three witnesses for the prosecution who testified that he was drunk as a skunk on the night he drove home killing a man are going to sue him for libel after he appeared on TV calling them whores, liars and swines who had been paid to lie by the family of the deceased. “Millions of people across the world saw Ortega Cano publicly call my clients liars who had accepted money to perjure, something which has been proven false” said a statement from their lawyers. “We intend to demand repatriation”