Eric Volz ordered to be freed but still in jail

from CNN

MANAGUA, Nicaragua (CNN) -- A Nicaraguan appeals court Monday ruled that an American convicted of killing his former girlfriend should be set free.

Eric Volz awaits release from a Nicaraguan jail after his murder conviction was overturned Monday.

Eric Volz, of Nashville, Tennessee, was convicted in 2006 of raping and killing Doris Ivanez Jimenez and sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The court Monday reversed that decision, but Volz has not been freed because a judge failed to show up for an afternoon meeting to arrange his release, according to attorney Fabbrith Gomez.

Gomez, who claims Volz is being held illegally, said he intended to file a petition for writ of habeas corpus, a process that forces a court to give proof justifying why a prisoner is being held.

Volz was transferred Monday from a Managua jail to a police hospital, according to Gomez and the prison warden, but it wasn't clear why. Watch how American ended up in Nicaraguan prison »

Ten witnesses testified or gave affidavits swearing that Volz was in his office in Managua at the time Jimenez was killed two hours away in San Juan del Sur. But one man testified that he had seen Volz in San Juan del Sur just after the time police believe Jimenez was killed.

That man, Nelson Danglas, was originally arrested for the slaying but received full immunity in exchange for his testimony against Volz. No physical evidence from the crime scene linked Volz to the slaying.

In addition to Volz, the same court also convicted Julio Chamorro of Jimenez's murder, although investigators did not connect him with Volz.

When the verdict was reached, a mob had gathered outside the courtroom chanting for Volz's conviction.

Volz, 28, was the publisher of EP (El Puente) Magazine, which he founded.

So did he do it or what? Not sure why you posted this. Do you have an opinion, or are you just letting us know about some news?

Eric Volz is a climber, well known in some circles.

There have been ongoing discussions at SuperTopo about this case.

Hence the post....

Thanks Andy, I didn't see the connection. I had heard about the case before though.

It's more than obvious he didn't do it. Seeing a fellow surfer, climber and UCSDer in this predicament was a shock. Sent some money to his legal defense fund earlier in the year and tried to post up in Spanish in the online version of the Nicaraguan newspapers. Sent an e-mail with some photos to Eric but not sure it ever made it. I'm sure others did a lot more. Plus I was born and raised in Latin America and this kind of crap going on down there just makes me sad. My stepmother and father's wife of 19 years died in a completely avoidable car accident in Brazil a couple of months ago. Love my country but it makes me angry, .."I'm so macho, watch me take a blind corner in the wrong lane at 50 mph and run straight into a bus" Anyway I just hope Eric makes it out of Nicaragua alive.  

There's a message thread on the Southeastern Climbers Coalition website that goes into a fair amount of detail on this situation:

seclimbers.org/modules.php?…;file=viewtopic&t=9371

It would be great news if Eric is finally released!

JL

OK, according to Nicaraguan newspaper "La Prensa" Eric is still in the hospital of the Nicaraguan National Police and was not transferred back to jail like some news reports had said. Which is great news for his safety. Hopefully he'll be on a plane back to the US soon.

"Eric Stanley Volz aún permanece ingresado el área privada del Hospital Carlos Roberto Huembes de la Policía Nacional, hasta donde fue trasladado por el Sistema Penitenciario Nacional (SPN) hace dos meses por varios padecimientos, puesto que la juez de Distrito de lo Penal, Ivett Toruño Blanco, todavía no emite su orden de libertad, confirmaron fuentes vinculadas al norteamericano."

We're praying for you EV.

-Jed & Sara

Looks like prosecutors are appealing:

Nicaraguan prosecutors appealing American's release

http://www.goodwillhinton.com/free_eric_volz_a_letter_to_president_bush

Apparently he's been freed! Merry X-mas!

Christian wrote:Apparently he's been freed! Merry X-mas!

Very good news indeed!

cnn.com/2007/WORLD/americas…

JL

And onto the airport and out of the country safely!

Roberto Pérez Solís
EDICIÓN DIGITAL
ediciondigital@laprensa.com.ni
publicidad

El estadounidense Eric Stanley Volz habría abandonado el territorio nacional esta tarde, luego de firmar algunos documentos ante las autoridades penitenciarias en la Cárcel Modelo de Tipitapa, hasta donde llegó en una ambulancia del Ministerio de Gobernación, escoltado por la Policía. Posteriormente, Volz se dirigió a la terminal internacional de Managua abordo de una camioneta privada, que ingresó directamente a la pista a través del Portón Número 9.

Tras recibir esta mañana una orden de libertad por parte del Tribunal de Apelaciones de Granada, que le confirmó la revocación de la sentencia de 30 años de prisión por el asesinato de Doris Ivania Jiménez Alvarado, Volz abandonó poco después del mediodía el Hospital Carlos Roberto Huembes de la Policía Nacional, donde se encontraba recluido desde hace varios días por supuestos problemas de salud.

Escoltado por una caravana de vehículos de los diversos medios de comunicación nacionales e internacionales, Volz llegó al Aeropuerto Internacional Augusto C. Sandino, situado al suroeste de Managua, y no ingresó como el resto de pasajeros por las puertas de acceso acostumbradas.

La camioneta color blanco, de vidrios polarizados, placas 040 813, que lo condujo de La Modelo al aeropuerto, se detuvo por unos segundos frente a las puertas principales de la terminal, para arrancar de forma rápida hasta el portón este e ingresar directamenta a la pista de aterrizaje, donde se presume abordó un avión privado.

Ninguna autoridad de la terminal aérea ni policial quiso brindar ningún tipo de declaración en torno al caso.