After the proceedings, the 10 were sent back to jails around Madrid where they will wait for magistrate Pablo Llarena’s decision on Monday. Both the public prosecutor and plaintiffs from a small right-wing political party asked the judge to uphold the custody order because their testimonies, they said separately, failed to eliminate the risk of fleeing or the repetition of the crimes in the near future. Defense lawyer Jordi Pina, who represents two of the former Catalan officials and ANC leader Sanchez, said he hoped for an early release after they pledged to abide by Spain’s Constitution, which enshrines the nation’s indivisibility. Supporters and party aides of the defendants gathered outside the court in central Madrid on Friday. Some of them said that money had been raised to make immediate payments if the judge decides to release them on bail. Joining them was former Catalan regional president Artur Mas, a key figure in Catalonia’s independence movement since 2012. Speaking to reporters, Mas said he understood the defense strategy, but criticized the central government’s decision to take control of the region. Read more… http://ift.tt/2zX4i68
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