3rd hearing in the 'Newborn Gang' trial begins! Shocking testimony: 'The baby had died'

The 3rd hearing of the trial involving the leaders and members of the 'Newborn Gang,' who are accused of generating illicit profits by referring newborn babies to contracted hospitals and causing their deaths through negligent behavior, has begun in Istanbul.

In the case with 47 defendants, the number of defendants had dropped to 46 following the suicide of İlker Gönen, who was being tried on charges of being an organization leader, in the prison where he was held. The hearing, held for the 3rd time today at the Bakırköy 22nd High Criminal Court, began with the roll call of the defendants. 

İLKER GÖNEN'S LAWYER WANTED TO REPRESENT FIRAT SARI

Aydın Mantar, the lawyer for the late Dr. İlker Gönen, took the floor after the identity verification:

"We said we would have these people tried, but I could not keep my promise to my brother. This burden is not mine. Before the trial even began, these people were thrown in front of society. The perception of trial by media led to this result. The words 'You are killing babies' were the reason for our request for the judge's recusal. But these words did not secure the recusal of the judge. We wanted the people here to at least feel like they were being tried. From this hour on, those in this courtroom—colleagues looking for client babies on social media, bar associations coming to put on a show, officials who smile at our faces but push the defendants, everyone who calls us murderers—see that the chair of İlker Gönen, whom they branded as a murderer, is empty."

The Presiding Judge stated that the lawyer for the late İlker Gönen could not continue the defense due to his client's death. Lawyer Aydın Mantar requested to take over the defense of Fırat Sarı in order to continue in the case. The court panel asked Fırat Sarı about the request. Sarı accepted for Mantar to act as his lawyer.

LAWYER AYDIN MANTAR'S REQUESTS

Lawyer Aydın Mantar made three requests:

1. That my status as a party not be dropped.

2. That the hearing be held behind closed doors for the safety of my client and all defendants.

3. The recusal of the judge.

The Presiding Judge intervened, stating that the matter should not be personalized.

TESTIMONY OF WITNESS ŞENAY ÇALIKOĞLU

Following this, Şenay Çalıkoğlu testified as a witness regarding the Opara Baby. Çalıkoğlu stated, "Although the Opara Baby was 6 months old, he was taken to the neonatal intensive care unit. The baby's condition was severe; blood was drawn and he was placed in an incubator. No one could be reached at night. Doğukan wanted adrenaline to be administered to the baby, but the baby had already passed away."

The Presiding Judge asked whether Dr. Şeyhmuz Çelik had attended to the baby. Çalıkoğlu stated that Şeyhmuz Çelik had not seen the baby. She said that Doğukan Taşçı had taken delivery of the baby.

REQUEST FOR RECUSAL OF THE JUDGE

Lawyer Aydın Karataş made a request for the recusal of the judge. In the second hearing in January, the defense lawyers for the defendants had made a 'Request for Recusal of the Judge', but the 23rd High Criminal Court had rejected this request.

News Source: 12punto