Trial Begins for Manslaughter Case Involving Mexican Celebrity

September 27, 2022 Don Pumphrey, Jr. Criminal Defense, News & Announcements, Violent Crimes Social Share

Even celebrities need criminal defense assistance. Pablo Lyle, the Mexican TV actor known for “My Adorable Cure” and Netflix show “Yankee” is facing criminal charges in an involuntary manslaughter case from 2019.

We will cover the details of the case, along with information on manslaughter charges and penalties in Florida.

What was the Incident?

In April 2019, Mexican actor Pablo Lyle was arrested after a road rage incident led to another person’s death. Lyle had been visiting Miami and was on his way back to Miami International Airport with his brother-in-law, Lucas Del Fino when an enraged driver started pounding on their car window.

Juan Ricardo Hernandez, 63, was the angry driver who approached Lyle’s window. Hernandez was angry at Lyle for cutting him off in traffic while attempting to make a U-turn at the intersection of Northwest 27^th Avenue and Northwest 14^th Street. Witnesses told authorities that Lyle and Del Fino jumped out of their vehicle to confront Hernandez as he was shouting expletives at them.

“We were very close to each other. We were both yelling at each other,” Del Fino said in a hearing back in 2019. “I was yelling at him, ‘Don’t touch my car! Don’t you bang on my car!’ I said that in Spanish.”

Then Del Fino realized he didn’t put the car in park and had to run back to it before it rolled forward into traffic.

A surveillance video obtained by the Miami-Dade police captured the incident, which shows Lyle running at Hernandez. Lyle punched Hernandez one time, causing the victim to take a hard fall to the ground.

Lyle then left Hernandez unconscious in the street and ran back to the car. He said his 6-year-old son was in the back seat of the vehicle and asked Del Fino to hurry up and drive away when they saw another man running at them.

After dropping his family off at the airport, Lyle turned himself in to the police. He was originally arrested for battery. After spending several days in the hospital, Hernandez died from his injuries. This meant Lyle was now being charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Lyle’s defense team claimed that he was trying to protect himself and his family when Hernandez approached the vehicle in an aggressive manner. They tried to apply the “Stand Your Ground” law, but a judge denied the motion to drop the case pursuant to the defense back in August.

The trial has been continuously pushed back, first from March 2021 to June 2021 to now just starting this week. Lyle has been under house arrest in Miami with a GPS monitor on him.

On Tuesday, September 20^th, 2022, jury selection was held in Miami for the trial against Lyle. There are already several complaints about the potential jurors, and whether they have broken the rules by discussing the case.

One potential juror said, “They were talking about the case—how they saw it on the news.”

Lyle’s defense attorney requested that the judge strike the panel. “There was publicity about this matter, it was extensive and that is not evidence,” said Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez. “Anything outside of the courtroom is not evidence.”

The judge said she would continue to question all of the potential jurors and not strike the first group right away. “Mr. Lyle, as he sits here, he’s accused of a crime, but one of the most important rules in this house and rules of criminal law and constitutionalism, that man is innocent,” said Judge Tinkler Mendez.

Involuntary Manslaughter in Florida

Involuntary manslaughter is the killing of another person without any malicious intent, causing a death due to recklessness or negligence.

In Florida, the state is required to prove that a person was guilty of “culpable negligence.” This means the prosecution must show that the defendant acted with recklessness that showed a conscious disregarded for human life.

Under Florida Statute Section 782.07, manslaughter is classified as a second-degree felony. The penalties for a second-degree felony can include up to a $10,000 fine and up to 15 years in prison.

If the victim in an involuntary manslaughter case is an elderly person, disabled adult, minor under the age of 18, or a police officer, it is then considered aggravated manslaughter. Aggravated manslaughter is classified as a first-degree felony. The penalties for a first-degree felony can include up to a $10,000 fine and up to 30 years in prison.

Find out more about manslaughter on our page about violent crimes in Florida.

Finding a Defense Attorney in Tallahassee, Florida

Getting accused of a violent crime is no small matter. Florida takes violent crime charges very seriously and getting convicted can lead to extended prison sentences and hefty fines. If you or a loved one have been accused of a manslaughter charge, make it your first priority to seek out legal help. A Tallahassee defense attorney can work with you to build a strong defense for your case. At Pumphrey Law Firm, Don Pumphrey and his team have experience representing clients from across the state. Call us today for a free consultation at (850) 681-7777 or leave us an online message on our website.

Written by Karissa Key

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