Mariano Gaik Aldrovandi
05/29/2021 4:55 PM
Clarín.com
Police
Updated 05/29/2021 4:55 PM
He had come on vacation from the United States to Argentina to celebrate his 54th birthday. He ended up starring in a drama that shocked the country when he was stabbed ten times in the chest to steal his camera in La Boca and survived.
The case had a key actor: the police officer Luis Oscar Chocobar (34), who helped the tourist, scared off the thieves and ended up killing one of them, Juan Pablo Kukoc (18).
Wolek actively participated in the oral trial against Chocobar and one of the two assailants.
He testified as a witness and gave his "last words" as a victim of the episode that occurred on the morning of December 8, 2017.
On Friday he witnessed the verdict that sentenced the Buenos Aires police agent to two years in suspended prison and the attacker, who was a minor at the time, to 9 years in prison.
"I am disappointed," said Wolek in dialogue with
Clarín
.
The photographer, who currently lives in the city of Louisville, Kentucky, said he was "convinced" that Chocobar "was trying to be a good person and a public servant."
However, he acknowledged that the punishment "could have been much more severe" and that the judges applied the "minimum penalty" possible.
- What is your opinion on the verdict against the thief?
–To be brutally honest, I began to worry less and less about what might happen to the attacker and not seek any kind of revenge.
I hope that in some way, if he can learn from this, he will become a better person.
Finally, if you have learned enough, may you return to living by the rules, enjoy your youth, and be a good citizen.
But if not, he should serve more jail time until he succeeds.
"What about Chocobar?"
- From what I was able to learn at the trial, I did not see anything that would justify a conviction of officer Chocobar.
He didn't do anything out of malice or intent, just reactions in the heat of the moment.
I am convinced that he is a decent man and was only trying to be a good person and a public servant.
So yes, I am disappointed, but I also realize that the punishment could have been much more severe.
I think the court tried to apply the minimum possible penalty.
- What do you feel today about what happened to you? Do you think it is a closed chapter?
-I definitely feel that a chapter is closed and everything is going to end.
I am grateful for that, as it was a very long road.
Obviously it was as bad for me as it was for Officer Chocobar or my bad days three and a half years ago.
Since then, things have returned to normal for me and some good things are happening to me in life, even during the pandemic.
News in development
GL
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