Cuba Archive - Case 2158

Case ID: 2158

Title: N/A

First name: Antonio

Last name: Tejeda Leyva

Suffix: N/A

Aliases: N/A

Name also reported as: N/A

Age: 39

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: N/A

Civil Status: Unknown

Date of death/disappearance: Day:19 / Month:10 / Year:2014

Citizenship: N/A

Last known address: 2 Oeste, e/ 7 y 8 Norte

Last known city: Guantánamo

Last known province-TOD: Guantánamo

Last known province current: Guantánamo

Last known country: Cuba

Location death-address: Hospital

Location of death - city: Guantánamo

Location of death province - at TOD: Guantánamo

Location of death province - current: Guantánamo

Location of death - country: Cuba

Trial held?: No

Docket Number: N/A

Sentence details: N/A

Arrest or detention at time of death: Yes

Date of arrest: Day:13 / Month:10 / Year:2014

Imprisoned/Detained: Location: Police Unit Parque 24

How long imprisoned/detained: 6 days

Death attributed to: Castro regime

Death attribution detail: Police

Associated Event: N/A

Case description:

This father of two had been assaulted by six men who had tried to steal his cell phone on October 13, 2014. When the police arrived, he was the only one arrested (later it ensued that two of his assailants were in the military). He was first taken to the hospital for a minor injury to his elbow and, after having it treated, taken to the police station. There, where he was beaten by police, according to persons in a nearby cell whose testimony appeared in the judicial docket. His mother had been searching for him and had been told four times he was not at the police station were he was actually held. She finally found him after repeated attempts and when she saw him, he was in a catatonic state and with no bowel control. They took him to the hospital, but it was too late to save his life. Prison authorities tried to force the doctor to certify he had died of injuries from the street brawl, but the doctor refused. The short funeral was held one hour earlier than scheduled with heavy State Security presence.
A trial was held March 19, 2015 and the street aggressors were reportedly sentenced with 20 years of prison for murder. Apparently, the police who beat the victim and caused his death were not sanctioned.
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Murió en un hospital de Guantánamo, Cuba, tras una brutal golpiza por la policía en la Comisaría Parque 24 de Guantánamo. abía sido asaltado por seis hombres que intentaron robarle su celular, pero fue el único detenido al llegar la policía (más tarde se supo que dos de los asaltantes eran soldados). y recibió los golpes que le provocaron la muerte. La policía negó a su familia tenerlo allí bajo arresto; su madre había estado allí cuatro veces y el investigador de apellido Pelegrín le negó que su hijo estuviera ahí.  El 13 de octubre a las dos de la mañana la llamaron para que fuera a la comisaría. Ya su hijo estaba engarrotado y sin conocimiento, lo tenían desnudo, defecado, echándole agua con una manguera y lavándolo con una escoba. La policía no ayudó ni participó en el traslado al hospital por parte de la familia, a donde llegó ya cianótico y presentando lesiones graves. Fue puesto en la sala de terapia intensiva y entubado hasta su muerte.  Las autoridades trataron de obligar al médico a certificar que había muerto a causa de las lesiones de la pelea callejera, pero él se negó. Sus agresores callejeros fueron condenados a 20 años de prisión por asesinato, pero los policías que causaron su muerte no fueron sancionados. Dejó dos hijos.

Sources: Conflict of Evidence:

Violation Status: Reported: Highly likely / Highly reliable source(s)

Cause of Death: - Extrajudicial killing

Occupations: N/A

External Files: N/A

Relatives in Archive: N/A

Victim Type: - Prisoner / Detainee: Non-political cause

Affiliations: N/A

Other Victims Same Event: N/A

Case Record - Antonio Tejeda Leyva