Jonathan Andic's defense challenges inclusion of specialized Mossos unit

The legal team of Jonathan Andic has formally challenged the inclusion of a specialized police unit to analyze evidence in the homicide case of his father, Isak Andic. The defense argues that the unit's proposed role exceeds its legal functions and encroaches on judicial authority.

The challenge

On June 18, lawyer Cristóbal Martell filed a motion against the judge's decision to allow the Unidad Central de Personas Desaparecidas (UCPD) of the Mossos d'Esquadra to conduct a "technical-operational analysis" of the evidence. The unit was requested by prosecutor Teresa Yoldi, who has worked with them in previous high-profile cases Source: lavanguardia. The defense contends that the office's request amounts to an "intelligence expert report" that has no place in the proceedings Source: infobae.

The arguments

• The defense claims the police unit would be making legal assessments about evidence, which is the exclusive domain of the judiciary. They cite Supreme Court magistrate Manuel Marchena, who warned that such police evaluations constitute a "functional overreach" Source: lavanguardia.
• The defense argues the court order lacks specificity about the unit's exact tasks. In contrast, the prosecution clarified they want the unit to "contextualize" the existing circumstantial evidence Source: abces.
• The defense does not oppose technical police assistance in areas like ballistics or fingerprint analysis, but says interpreting circumstantial evidence is a judicial function Source: elespanol.

Disagreement between sources

While all outlets report the defense's opposition, the emphasis varies. ABC focuses on the defense's claim that the unit is "alien to the functions of Judicial Police" Source: abces, whereas La Vanguardia highlights the prosecutor's familiarity with the unit and her aim to ensure the sergeant's testimony at a possible trial Source: lavanguardia. Infobae adds that the defense sees this as an attempt to create a "uniformed storyteller" Source: infobae. El Español emphasizes that the defense views the move as an effort to let police "build the narrative" Source: elespanol.