On May 29, 2018, the families of Mario Woods and Luis Góngora Pat held a joint press conference to protest D.A. Gascón’s decision to not press charges against the officers who killed their loved ones.

For today, Luis’s widow Doña Fidelia del Carmen May Can (Doña Carmen), who lives in Teabo, Yucatán prepared with her family a video statement from their town in Teabo, Yucatán.

In the video, the family of Luis Góngora Pat stands together, as Doña Carmen renders a heartfelt statement. From left to right in the video are Don Demetrio Góngora and Doña Estela Pat, father and mother of Luis Góngora Pat; Doña Carmen, widow; and Rossana Góngora May, daughter of the deceased.

Doña Carmen Protests D.A.’s Decision

Doña Carmen’s statement was delivered on her behalf by Luis Poot Pat, a cousin of the deceased, on the steps of the Hall of Justice, 850 Bryant, San Francisco, on May 29, 2018

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION, original Spanish follows)

“We have learned of the decision of the San Francisco District Attorney not to press criminal charges against the murderers of my husband Luis Demetrio Góngora Pat.

Those policemen do not understand that life is sacred. If they did, they would not take a person’s life as if he were an animal to be sacrificed. They are the beasts that take life!

It is not just that the murder of my husband will go unpunished. These police officers and the District Attorney have not felt this tragedy in their own families. That is why they do not temper their hearts before killing, and the D.A. does not find the courage to press charges.

I demand that they be punished! I know that the evidence is there to find them guilty.

With my legal team in San Francisco, we will prove that they killed an innocent man, a person who never caused harm. The world will know that these policemen deserved to go to jail.

Luis was a noble man, a hard worker, a loving husband, always looking out for his children, his parents and his brothers.

I will fight all my life to uphold his name and his honor against the lies of the police.

I thank the entire community of San Francisco that has supported us since the beginning of our struggle for justice. My children and I hope to visit you soon.

My prayers are with Mrs. Woods today. I hope we meet someday soon.”

Mensaje Original en Español

Mensaje pronunciado de parte de Doña Fidelia del Carmen May Can, viuda de Luis Góngora Pat, en los escalones de la Sala de Justicia, 850 Bryant, San Francisco, 29 de mayo de 2018

“Nos hemos enterado de la decisión del fiscal de San Francisco de no poner cargos penales a los asesinos de mi esposo Luis Demetrio Góngora Pat.

Esos policías no entienden que la vida es sagrada. Si lo entendieran, no le quitarían la vida a una persona como si fuera un animal para ser sacrificado. ¡Ellos son las bestias que quitan la vida!

No es justo que quedé impune el asesinato de mi esposo. Los policías y el procurador no han sentido esta tragedia en sus propias familias. Por eso no se tocan el corazón antes de matar, y el procurador no encuentra el valor para presentar cargos.

¡Exijo que se les castigue! Yo sé que la evidencia está ahí para encontrarlos culpables.

Con mi equipo legal en San Francisco, vamos a comprobar que mataron a un hombre inocente, a una persona que nunca causó daño. Todo mundo sabrá que esos policías merecían ir a la cárcel.

Luis era un hombre noble, muy trabajador, un esposo cariñoso, siempre pendiente de sus hijos, sus padres y sus hermanos.

Yo voy a luchar toda mi vida para levantar su nombre y su honra en contra de las mentiras de la policía.

Agradezco a toda la comunidad de San Francisco que nos ha apoyado desde el inicio de nuestra lucha por justicia. Mis hijos y yo esperamos poder visitarlos pronto.

Mis oraciones están con la Señora Woods el día de hoy. Espero conocerle un día pronto.”