The panel of judges reviewing the case concluded that the charge of “racial hatred,” originally brought by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, was not proven. They determined that the assault on the victim stemmed solely from his intervention in a fight between women.
Ademir Moreno, a native of Praia, Cape Verde, was assaulted at the entrance of a nightclub in the city of Horta, Azores, in March 2024. He fell unconscious in the street, suffering a cranial hematoma, and subsequently died at the Hospital of Horta, where he was taken.
The trial of the young man, also accused of failing to assist the victim, took place at the Angra do Heroísmo Court on Terceira Island. It was marked by a dispute between the prosecution and defense regarding the motive behind the assault.
The case led to an anti-racist demonstration on Faial Island, where Ademir Moreno resided, gathering over two hundred people in front of the Town Hall. The demonstration expressed solidarity with the victim and condemned racism and violence against immigrants.
The Court also ordered the defendant to pay compensation to the victim’s wife and daughter, amounting to 180,000 and 195,000 euros, respectively.
