Friend-of-HBT Nick Collias has been reading about the Alfredo Simon case in the Spanish language press and passes along a coupe of articles that show just how sordid this business is getting:

According to this report by Yoel Adames of ESPN Deportes, the mother of the victim, Michel Castillo, Alfredo Simon tried to bribe the family in order to get them to drop the charges:

“We’ve come so that justice will be done, because we understand that people are in support of him being released, and we want justice. He has offered money, but money doesn’t pay for the death of my son. My son’s death is non-negotiable.”

Castillo’s mother claims that, contrary to many of the reports we’ve seen, Simon and Castillo were not friends. She also claims that Simon was indifferent to the fact that Castillo was shot, shrugged it all off and went on to a club after the shooting. It’s about 18-levels of hearsay, but Castillo’s mother says she was told that Simon said “what do I care?” at the scene.

There are two sides to every story, however. According to this report, a cousin of Simon’s who was at the scene says that “More people were shooting in the air at the scene, but in the eye of the public it’s my cousin’s fault because he’s a ball player and they want him to be guilty.” Another person at the scene says this:

“Alfredo Simon isn’t guilty, what’s happening is that [the victim’s family] wants to get involved because they envy [Simon] because he is young and is beginning to have money.”

Everyone’s emotions here are strong. There may also be agenda in play on both sides. All I know is that every time we hear something new about this case it gets sadder and sadder.

(Thanks again to Nick Collias for bringing these reports to my attention and for translating them)