Dominican lawyers seek tougher penalties for hired killers

Santo Domingo.- The president of theDominican College of Lawyers (CARD) says that his association plans todraft a bill for proposal to legislators to classify and impose tough penaltiesfor hired killings.

Diego José García said thatthe bill is being prepared in support of the proposal by Ramón Antonio (Negro)Veras, and will be submitted to the National Congress in the next few days.

The CARD president addedthat this initiative also proposes additional penalties for criminals whosponsor crimes from inside jail.

“Contract killing in theDominican Republic has established itself and is growing at a worrying pace,and this is why the appropriate legal measures must be taken, and soon, so thatit’s not too late”, said García.

The lawyer expressed his support for Negro Veras, who sent a letter topresident Leonel Fernández, and the presidents of the Senate, Reinaldo ParedPérez, and the Chamber of Deputies, Abel Martínez, saying that criminaloperations run from the countries jails by prisoners revealed the need forcreating legal tools in response.

He said that the legislatorsmust ensure that events such as the attempt on the life of lawyer andjournalist Jordi Veras Rodríguez, last June, are not repeated. A prisoner, AdrianoRomán, is accused of the attempted murder.