The trial by jury of Israeli Gil Pereg, in Mendoza province, Argentina, will be broadcasted live in English and Hebrew to the whole world

Gil Pereg and their victims

On October 26, 2021, the jury trial will begin against Gil Pereg (39), accused of having brutally murdered in December 2019 his mother Pyrhia Sauroussy (63) and his aunt, Lily Pereg (54), who had come to visit him to his home in Guaymallén, Mendoza, where their bodies were mutilated and buried. 

The case shocked the international Jewish community around the world (see here). For that reason, and at the demand of the main international news networks and at the request of the victim's family, it will be broadcasted live on YouTube to Israel and Australia with simultaneous subtitles in English and Hebrew. 

It will be the most famous jury trial in the world of all that have been made in Argentina. 

Pyrhia lived in Israel; Lily in Australia, where she was serving as a prestigious associate professor of microbiology at the University of New England. 

Terrifying: Pereg poses where he buried both victims

The disturbing crime received worldwide coverage due to the cruelty of the crime and to the intriguing personality of the defendant, who received elite military training in Israel and has an IQ of 180.

Pereg is charged with double aggravated homicide and femicide. Pereg alleges insanity in his defense and maintains that he is a cat, so he will seek to be declared not guilty because of insanity. The prosecution has rejected this claim, since the experts have affirmed that Pereg perfectly understands his actions and has overwhelming circumstantial evidence against him.

Gil Pereg will be tried in the capital of the province of Mendoza by a jury of twelve people, led by Judge María Laura Guajardo. The accusation will be in charge of the prosecutor Fernando Guzzo.

Judge María Laura Guajardo

Prosecutor Fernando Guzzo

THE JURY SYSTEM IN MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Argentine jurors

Trial by jury is ordered in three sections of the Argentine National Constitution. 

In the province of Mendoza, Argentina, the trial takes place in a public hearing before twelve jurors drawn from the voting lists and presided over by a judge. By law, gender parity is required in the jury, so there must always be six women and six men.

There is a voir dire hearing to select the imaprtial jury, with four peremptories per side and unlimited challenges for cause.

The jury must decide guilt beyond every reasonable doubt. The burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is on the prosecution.

The defense has to prove nothing. The innocence of the accused is presumed throughout the entire process.

The accused is not obliged to testify and may remain silent, without this making any presumption of guilt against him.

The presiding judge instruct the jury on the law, including the main charge and lesser included offences. Summing-up is prohibited. 

The verdict must be unanimous. If the jury hangs, one more new trial is allowed at the request of the prosecution. If there is still a hung jury on the second trial, the judge will acquit the defendant.

The verdict is final. Only the defendant has the right to appeal a conviction.

Read news here: 

- Los Andes (11/9/21): "Trial of Gil Pereg: it will take place in the last days of October and will be broadcast for Israel and Australia" (ver)

- AAJJ (2/23/19): "MENDOZA, Argentina: Jury trial for horrifying homicide of two Israeli tourists" (see)