USA/FILE: Portugese model Renato Seabra accused of murdering journalist Carlos Castro may use psychiatric defence

Record ID: 677329

  • Title: USA/FILE: Portugese model Renato Seabra accused of murdering journalist Carlos Castro may use psychiatric defence
  • Date: 5th March 2011
  • Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MARCH 4, 2011) (REUTERS) RENATO SEABRA'S MOTHER, ODLIA PEREIRINHA (WEARING A WHITE SCARF) WALKING OUTSIDE THE COURTROOM WITH HER FRIEND SEABRA'S LAWYER, DAVID TOUGER, WALKING AND TALKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "There are cases that go for two years, but I hope...I don't want it to take that long because Mr. Seabra's sitting in jail. So hopefully, we can get it done in 6-9 months." JOURNALIST ASKS, "6-9 MONTHS?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "Yeah, that's hopefully." CAMERA OUTSIDE COURT (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "We have asked the judge for an adjournment of that time period because we don't have all the records we need to make that decision." JOURNALIST ASKS, "SO YOU HAVE NOT DECIDED ONE WAY OR THE OTHER?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "Exactly." SEABRA'S LAWYER, DAVID TOUGER, WALKING AND TALKING TO JOURNALIST (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "Under the circumstances, he is doing okay." JOURNALIST ASKS HOW LONG HE WILL BE IN HOSPITAL (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "I have no idea. I am not a doctor." JOURNALIST ASKS "IS HE CONSCIOUS OF HIS ACTIONS?" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAVID TOUGER, SEABRA'S LAWYER, SAYING: "I am not going to comment on that at all." TOUGER WALKING AWAY
  • Embargoed: 20th March 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Portugal, Usa
  • City:
  • Country: Usa Portugal
  • Reuters ID: LVA93CD5Y5HWL9H54FDPVSYXVOMP
  • Story Text: Renato Seabra, the man accused of torturing, castrating and killing the prominent Portuguese journalist Carlos Castro is still in a psychiatric hospital and may use a psychiatric defense in the case against him, his lawyer said outside a Manhattan Criminal Court on Tuesday (March 4).
    The 21-year-old model from Portugal pleaded not guilty in the death of Castro. Prosecutors charged Seabra with one count of murder in the second degree.
    The victim, 65-year-old Carlos Castro, was found lying in a pool of blood early last month in his room at the Intercontinental Hotel a few blocks from Times Square. The medical examiner's office said the cause of death was trauma to the head and strangulation.
    After the legal proceedings Seabra's mother, Odlia Pereirinha, was seen leaving the courtroom.
    Seabra's lawyer David Touger said the case has been adjourned until the defense obtains hospital records that will help determine if his mental condition will be used in his defense.
    "We have asked the judge for an adjournment of that time period because we don't have all the records we need to make that decision," Touger said.
    Touger added that he expects the case could take 6-9 months to be resolved.
    In the meantime, he said Seabra "is doing okay," under the circumstances.
    Despite his plea, Seabra admitted to stabbing Castro with a corkscrew and also cutting off his testicles with the corkscrew, according to a confession contained in court documents. In the same statement, he also claimed that the January 7 attack took at least an hour.
    The medical examiner's office said the cause of death was trauma to the head and strangulation. Court documents said Castro's face had shoe impressions and bruising, the complaint said.
    Prior to the hearing, Seabra had been held at Bellevue Hospital Center -- local media said he had slashed his wrists.
    The 65-year-old Castro was born in Angola during Portugal's colonial rule of the African nation. He contributed to a wide range of media, including Diario de Noticias, 24 Horas and Correio de Manha, according to his website.
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