Prosecutor Viviana Fein is leading the investigations into Alberto Nisman’s death (Photo: Claudio Fanchi/Télam)
Prosecutor Viviana Fein and Judge Sandra Arroyo Salgado clashed this morning over new details leaked from the parallel investigation into the death of AMIA prosecutor Alberto Nisman.
Last week Arroyo Salgado, Nisman’s ex-wife and plaintiff in the investigation into his death, presented a report claiming that he had been murdered. Arroyo Salgado said the report, prepared by experts on behalf of the plaintiffs, “completely rules out the accident and suicide hypotheses”.
This alternative report, which is not legally binding, was submitted to Fein, who continues to treat Nisman’s death as ‘suspicious’ but has not yet ruled out any hypothesis.
This morning national daily La Nación revealed the so-called ‘Point 12′ of the report’s 13 final conclusions, which was not presented by Arroyo Salgado last week and which affirmed that Nisman must have been on one knee when the shot that killed him was fired.
According to La Nación, the assertion is based on the blood stains found at the scene and the fact that Nisman’s body showed no signs of the bruising that would be expected if he had fallen from a standing position.
In dialogue with Radio Vorterix, Prosecutor Fein said earlier this morning that “‘Point 12′ does not exist”, adding that “I can’t talk about the content of the report until the experts meet to debate their findings [before a medical committee].”
Moments later, on the same radio show, Arroyo Salgado responded, saying: “The truth is not being told. The people must not be lied to anymore. In the final conclusions of the report there are 13 points… ‘Point 12′ was not made public, but it is included in the version given to the prosecutor’s office and refers to the mechanics of the gunshot injury.”
“In respect of the hours of work put in [by the experts] I feel obligated to clear up this point,” she added.
The judge also said that she has a copy of the report, and the confirmation that it had been received by the prosecutor’s office on 5th March. However, she would not confirm the contents of ‘Point 12′ as reported by La Nación, so as not to “undermine” the official investigation.
Fein later spoke again to the media, saying that she had denied the existence of ‘Point 12′ on the “express wishes” of the plaintiff Arroyo Salgado for it to remain confidential. “She presented the report with some confidential points and it was diligent and prudent on my part not to talk about the existence of that point,” said Fein on Radio La Red, where she confirmed that there were indeed 13 “points of analysis” in the plaintiff’s report.
Fein reiterated that “neither the mechanics nor motives of Nisman’s death are clear.”
The forensic experts representing the plaintiff are due to ratify their findings before the prosecutor’s office today. They are then due to discuss their conclusions with the forensics from the Supreme Court working on the official investigation in front of a medical committee.
The post Nisman Case: Prosecutor, Ex-Wife Clash Over Alternative Investigation appeared first on The Argentina Independent.