45 61(84) On February 5, 1993, the Fifth Criminal Court of First Instance ordered the detention of Pastor Milciades Coronel, Alberto Buenaventura Cantero, Lucilo Benítez, Camilo Almada Morel and Agustín Belotto Vouga. And, on March 30, 1993, this court ordered the detention of Ramón Saldívar and Salvador Mendoza. 61(85) On November 2, 1993, and February 22, 1994, the court was informed of the death of General Francisco Alcibíades Brítez Borges and of Officer Ramón Saldívar on September 14, 1993, and June 11, 1992, respectively. 61(86) On June 19, 1995, the said Fifth Criminal Court of First Instance ordered the opening of the case to take evidence for “the time established by law.” Subsequently, on December 21, 1995, the judge of this court excused himself from continuing to hear the case. Accordingly, the Sixth Criminal Court of First Instance assumed the hearing of the case. On April 1, 1998, it considered that the period for gathering evidence had long ended, and gave a hearing to the parties to present their respective arguments “in accordance with and within the time established by law.” 61(87) At the end of 1998, the complainant and the Attorney General’s Office presented their final arguments. The defendants Lucilo Benítez and Alberto Buenaventura Cantero, Agustín Belotto Vouga and Camilo Almada Morel did so on November 23 and December 1, 1998, and July 19, 1999, respectively. 61(88) On April 17, 2000, the First Criminal Tribunal (de Liquidación y Sentencia) decided, inter alia: 1) To classify the illegal conduct of the defendant Pastor Milciades Coronel Almada, under the crimes established in and punished by the provisions of Articles 337, paragraphs 2 and 3 [murder aggravated by treachery and extreme cruelty], in accordance with Articles 3, first paragraph [crimes are punishable not only when they have been perpetrated, but also when they have been frustrated, or when there has been an attempted crime] and 37 [association or conspiracy to commit a crime] of the Penal Code; Articles 341 [injury], paragraph 1 [aggravated], 280 [violence or threats], and 174 [abuse of authority]; and Article 37 [association or conspiracy to commit a crime] of the 1914 Penal Code, and to classify the penalty based on Articles 94 [the masterminds and perpetrators shall suffer integrally the penalties established by this code for the crime committed], and 95 [the penalty for a frustrated crime shall be twothirds of that corresponding to the completed crime] of the same Code. 2) To classify the illegal conducts of the defendants Nicolás Lucilo Benítez Santacruz and Camilo Federico Almada Morel, under the crimes established in and punished by the provisions of Articles 337 paragraph 2 [murder aggravated by treachery], 341, paragraph 1 [aggravated injury], 280 [violence or threats] and 174 [abuse of authority] of the said Code, in accordance with Article 37 [association or conspiracy to commit a crime] of the same body of laws. 3) Not to admit the request for prescription alleged in the proceedings, because it is manifestly inadmissible considering the findings in this decision. 4) To note that the corresponding recourse before the ordinary jurisdiction is admissible to claim civil responsibility under the provisions of Article 1865 of the Civil Code owing to the crime committed by Francisco Alcibíades Brítez Borges. 5) To absolve Alberto Buenaventura Cantero Domínguez from guilt and punishment. […] To send an official communication to the National Police (Specialized Unit) ordering his release.