Judge: Guatemala supreme court justice meddled in son's case

Associated Press

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A Guatemalan judge alleged Wednesday that a Supreme Court justice tried to intervene improperly in a corruption case involving her son.

Judge Carlos Ruano said that he had reported Justice Blanca Stalling to the special prosecutor against impunity.

"At no time was I going to compromise my work, which has always been transparent," Ruano said.

At a news conference, Attorney General Thelma Aldana and the head of the commission against impunity, Ivan Velasquez, said they had asked the Supreme Court to strip Stalling of her immunity.

Stalling denied exerting any undue influence.

Stalling's son is among 20 businesspeople and public officials charged in a scheme that solicited bribes for government health contracts. Otto Molina Stalling is charged with taking bribes to award contracts for dialysis to a company. Prosecutors say 15 people died as a result of shoddy treatment.

Ruano withdrew from the case.