MIAMI (WSVN) - Two former Hialeah police officers being held on the other side of a jail cell faced a judge who will now decide if they can be released.
On Monday, those former officers appeared before a judge for a hearing to determine if they will stay in jail until their trial or if they’ll be granted bond.
Rafael Otano, 27, and Lorenzo Orfila, 22, were brought into the courtroom instead of appearing remotely from jail.
The hearing will play out like a mini trial with both sides presenting evidence.
The officers are accused of kidnaping and beating a homeless man on Dec. 17 in Hialeah.
At the end of the hearing, the judge in this case will decide if bond will be set for the pair.
Their bond was initially denied, and the two have been in jail since their arrest.
A Hialeah detective took the stand during the hearing to testify that the officers did not turn on their body worn cameras or report the arrest.
“I think the entire case is nonsense,” said the attorney for Otano. “He gave several different versions, he said three people attacked him, then he said a blond person attacked him, then he said a sergeant was on the scene. He has no credibility.”
The alleged victim is currently in jail due to other charges related to drugs and accused of resisting arrest.
Two other men were arrested in this case; Juan Prieto Cofino is charged with notary fraud.
He bonded out of jail.
Ali Saleh, a private investigator, is charged with tampering with a witness. He’s currently being held without bond.
The hearing will resume on Tuesday at 1 p.m.
A decision is expected later that day.
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