When a police officer is killed in the line of duty, you would expect the Government to pay some compensation to the widow and children but...

The Ministerio del Interior has refused to pay 334,000 euros in compensation; a sum set by a provincial law court, to the family of Guardia Civil officer, José Manuel Arcos, who was murdered by common criminal, Juan Antonio M. G., better known as El Kiki. His death came about during a police pursuit on the 15th of October, 2018 in Zubia, Granada.

The fact is that El Kiki recognised in court that he had killed the officer after snatching the officers sidearm from him. He went down for 22 years  and compensation was set at 159,000 euros, plus 85,000 and 89,000 for his son and daughter.

El Kiki, however, declared himself insolvent, so the family asked the State to pay the compensation as the officer lost his life in the call of duty. A commanding officer in the Guardia Civil agrees that the State find the compensation for the widow, Raquel and her children.

However, the Ministry, headed by Fernando Grande-Marlaska, notified the widow of José Manuel on the 23rd of June that his ministry rejects because as the officer is dead, the widow and children would only be indirect victims and not direct victims.

“There’s only one victim, and that was the officer and he died, which is much more serious than if he had been injured,” states widows lawyer, Javier López García de la Serrana, adding, “they couldn’t care and stick to a supposed report from the Abogacía (Government Legal Advisory) on which to base such a strange posture; i.e., he’s dead, so he can’t be compensated but if he were alive, they would. “It runs against common sense,” considers the widow’s lawyer.

(News: City & Metropolitan Area, Granada, Andalucia)