A female judge in Argentina identified as Mariel Suarez is currently under investigation after CCTV appears to catch her ‘locking lips’ with cop killer, Cristian Bustos.
It was gathered that Bustos is being held at a jail in the southern Argentinian city of Trelew over the 2009 killing in nearby Corcovado of police officer Leandro Roberts.
According to Daily star UK, the police officer was shot dead and a colleague injured by the suspect after going to arrest Bustos at his home following an earlier prison escape.
Before the incident, the man was wanted over the murder of his baby stepson who was beaten to death in a horrendous crime that led to a separate murder conviction and 20-year prison sentence.
A brother of the fugitive died in the gunfight that occurred when police tried to detain him.
After he was arraigned to court, the judge was the only one of a panel of judges who argued Bustos should escape a life sentence when they convicted him last month.
When interrogated after she was caught kissing the suspect, the female judge denied any intimacy taking place.
According to her, she was only visiting the murderer to ask questions about a book she is writing.
She told Argentinian news website, Todo Noticias:
“We were talking and felt we were being listened to. They were secret talks and there were people walking nearby and a camera and that’s why we talked close-up.”
“I don’t have any sentimental relationship with this person. I’m writing a book on him. Our relationship is a working relationship.
“I believed the version of events he gave at his trial and that’s why I voted for a lesser punishment than life imprisonment.”
Court officials have since confirmed that a probe has been launched into security footage which shows the judge leaning forward towards the “highly dangerous” inmate with her back to the camera.
The probe into the judge is being led by the Superior Court of Chubut, which said in a statement: “The judge allegedly incurred in inadequate behaviour.
“The investigation will seek to determine the circumstances of the meeting between that judge and an inmate who is regarded as highly dangerous and was recently convicted following a trial in the city of Esquel.
“It will also look at how long the meeting lasted and its characteristics, with a view to confirming whether there have been violations of the Law of Public Ethics and internal judicial authority regulations.”