The jury court of the Audiencia Provincial de Huelva ruled on 22 October 2026 that M.S., known as El Baba, caused the death of his brother-in-law R.M. in the exchange of gunfire on 10 September 2024 in the neighbourhood of El Torrejón but did not punish him for it. The jury found complete self-defence, meaning there is no criminal liability for the killing.
At the same time, the jury found M.S. guilty of attempted manslaughter and unlawful possession of a firearm. The court will decide the precise sentence once the written judgment is available. Another defendant, L.M., who is also M.S.’s brother-in-law, was identified as the person who started the exchange of fire. He was found guilty of two counts of attempted manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm.
According to consistent accounts from the prosecution and witnesses, a shoot-out took place in El Torrejón on 10 September 2024, in which R.M. was fatally shot and another man sustained gunshot wounds. On key points, the jury court accepted the account that M.S. had acted in a situation posing an immediate threat to his life.
The prosecution had originally sought a lengthy prison sentence for M.S. for murder with treachery, as well as further sentences for attempted manslaughter and firearm possession. Several years in prison were also sought for L.M. However, the jury assessed the legal position differently and found complete self-defence in respect of the fatal shot. The convictions for the other offences are unaffected.
L.M.’s lawyer, Rafael Villegas, announced after the verdict was made public that he would appeal. He said that, based on the jury verdict, L.M. was likely to receive about 14 years in prison and M.S. around nine years. This is a forecast; the relevant chamber of the Audiencia Provincial de will set the final sentence Huelva once the written judgment is available.
The jury’s verdict sets out the facts of the case: it established the fatal outcome, the injuries to another man and that L.M. started the exchange of fire. Attributed statements concern the respective roles of those involved. The jury’s legal assessment means that M.S. faces no penalty for the killing, while he and L.M. were convicted of the other offences.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).