NewsWhore
11-09-2011, 04:20 PM
The Dominican judiciary has dropped the charges pending against Baltimore Orioles ballplayer Alfredo Simon. 25-year old Michel Castillo Almonte was killed on 1 January 2011. The fatal shot was fired during New Year celebrations in Luperon in Puerto Plata province. The court determined that the bullet that killed Castillo did not come from Simon's gun. Contradicting initial versions of the fatal shooting, the court issued its verdict because no witnesses had come forward to say that the pitcher had fired his weapon. A half-brother of the victim who was injured in the shooting, Starlin Castillo, who initially accused Simon, changed his version and said he could not testify in court because he was drunk at the time of the incident.
The ruling means that Simon can report to spring training for the Orioles.
Orioles director of player development John Stockstill, who has been the point man for the organization during this ordeal, spoke to Simon Tuesday afternoon and said: "He was acquitted of all wrongdoing and is very relieved. He is looking forward to focusing 100 percent on his baseball career."
El Caribe newspaper reported:
"The acquittal is another scandal for the Dominican Republic. The millionaire Major Leagues baseball player Alfredo Simon was accustomed to firing shots into the air in the Luperon Park (as if he was a Wild West cowboy). He was accused of the death of Michel Castillo Almonte with all the evidence pointing to him as the person responsible for the murder and for causing bullet wounds to 17-year old Starlin Castillo. After Castillo's death, Simon fled and handed himself in to the Police later, but the prosecutors said that he had changed the barrel of the gun he was carrying. Thanks to his money, he was able to reach an agreement with the family of the victims in return for them withdrawing their complaints. Now he was discharged. You can be the jury."
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Orioles-Alfredo-Simon-acquitted-in-shooting-death-110811
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/08/world/americas/orioles-pitcher-acquitted/?hpt=wo_c2
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5981183
www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/1/3/1911047/alfredo-simon-murder-orioles-dominican-republic (http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/1/3/1911047/alfredo-simon-murder-orioles-dominican-republic)
www.hoy.com.do/provincias/2011/11/8/400787/Tribunal-descarga-pelotero-acusado-de-asesinato (http://www.hoy.com.do/provincias/2011/11/8/400787/Tribunal-descarga-pelotero-acusado-de-asesinato)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)
The ruling means that Simon can report to spring training for the Orioles.
Orioles director of player development John Stockstill, who has been the point man for the organization during this ordeal, spoke to Simon Tuesday afternoon and said: "He was acquitted of all wrongdoing and is very relieved. He is looking forward to focusing 100 percent on his baseball career."
El Caribe newspaper reported:
"The acquittal is another scandal for the Dominican Republic. The millionaire Major Leagues baseball player Alfredo Simon was accustomed to firing shots into the air in the Luperon Park (as if he was a Wild West cowboy). He was accused of the death of Michel Castillo Almonte with all the evidence pointing to him as the person responsible for the murder and for causing bullet wounds to 17-year old Starlin Castillo. After Castillo's death, Simon fled and handed himself in to the Police later, but the prosecutors said that he had changed the barrel of the gun he was carrying. Thanks to his money, he was able to reach an agreement with the family of the victims in return for them withdrawing their complaints. Now he was discharged. You can be the jury."
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Orioles-Alfredo-Simon-acquitted-in-shooting-death-110811
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/08/world/americas/orioles-pitcher-acquitted/?hpt=wo_c2
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5981183
www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/1/3/1911047/alfredo-simon-murder-orioles-dominican-republic (http://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2011/1/3/1911047/alfredo-simon-murder-orioles-dominican-republic)
www.hoy.com.do/provincias/2011/11/8/400787/Tribunal-descarga-pelotero-acusado-de-asesinato (http://www.hoy.com.do/provincias/2011/11/8/400787/Tribunal-descarga-pelotero-acusado-de-asesinato)
More... (http://www.dr1.com/index.html#12)