Photos Of Castrated Murdered Man Too Gruesome To Share, Claims Prosecutors

Renato Seabra,right, in court yesterday with his translator (AP).

Prosecution attorneys yesterday argued that the 25 crime scene photos of Carlos Castro—the Portuguese fashion writer who was castrated and murdered in a Times Square hotel in January—are "too gruesome" to be given to defense lawyers. The judge in the case disagreed, however, saying that lawyers for Renato Seabra—the male model accused of the grisly murder—should be allowed to examine the photographs.

"He is unclothed, and has obviously been beaten, and he has been castrated," assistant district attorney Maxine Rosenthal said yesterday while she tried to prevent the photos from being distributed to the defense. "[Castro] is naked. There is serious mutilation. There is a sensitivity here for the deceased and certainly for his loved ones."

Defense lawyers want copies of the photographs so that a psychiatrist can compare them to Seabra's account of the murder. Seabra is currently planning on using an insanity defense in the murder in which he is said to have stabbed and beaten his sometime lover Castro after he tried to break off their relationship. He also reportedly cut off Castro's testicles with a corkscrew while the fashion writer and gay activist was unconscious before smashing a computer monitor over his head and stomping on his face.

In the end Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon decided to issue a protective order mandating the photos not be copied or published, but ordered that the photos be turned over to the defense.

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By Garth Johnston in News on June 29, 2011 2:07 PM

Comments [rss]

JPeditor

Well at least he can get married in jail now.

melsya

I am Portuguese, the deceased was a 'gossip' writer who was known for running aroung young boys, promissing them fame in exchange for sex. In case they would refuse he would threaten to break their legs or worse. Ricardo is a country boy, very attached to his family, and with no experience in the real world. He came second in a fashion TV reality show and was the next target of the old guy. I dont believe Ricardo was actualy sleeping with the old guy but I do believe he was under a lot pressure. I can just imagine the things the old guy told Ricardo, he was really low and know for this in PT. Ricardo commited a crime and needs to pay for that but I really hope he gets less years in prison. Very sorry to see that such a young guy with promissing future ahead ruined his life like this.

lovelette

Fat, old, ugly sugar daddies or sugar mommas, beware. This could be your destiny. At the hands of your hot new piece-that is.

ONE_LESS_FIXED_GEAR

That dude went to town. It had to be a hell of a mess. Who cleans that up, by the way?

Sugarbop

There are special companies out there that clean up crime scenes.

ONE_LESS_FIXED_GEAR

Amazing business niche, there. Ugh.

Dead Himmler

I could be wrong on this but I feel there is a connection to this case and gay marriage.

whatidsay

First the stadium ban on nuts and now this.

RabbiLaFunque

The prosecution has some balls trying to withhold these pictures.

Adam Moreira

Bad pun, but I get the drift. However, they should not be shown to a jury. The defense does have a right to the evidence though.

farleft

You're not funny.

ONE_LESS_FIXED_GEAR

Yes...he is.

Roger_the_Shrubber

Gruesome or not, when you're deciding a defendant's fate, the jury should have every piece of information about the case possible.

JarekAF

Not to be too pedantic, but, the issue in this instance is about sharing the evidence with the Defense, though agreed that we shouldn't sugar coat evidence for the Jury.

Roger_the_Shrubber

Pedantic isn't so bad. But anyway, shouldn't both sides be required to share all the evidence that's involved?

JarekAF

In criminal trials the Prosecution is required to share all of it's evidence with the Defense.

There isn't the same requirement for the Defense, in part because of the 4th, 5th and 6th Amendments. The Prosecution can still get a lot of info from the Defense, but, they need to rely more on subpoenas, cross-examinations etc . . .