Urbina Rots in Jail

Ugueth Urbina, veteran pitcher last with the Philadelphia Phillies, is spending his summer sitting in a Venezuelan jail on an attempted murder charge instead of playing baseball in the U.S.

Urbina allegedly came home to his family’s ranch in Venezuela and surprised five workers bathing in his swimming pool without permission. Prosecutors allege Urbina joined a group of men in attacking and injuring the five workers with machetes and pouring gasoline on them. He faces 20 years in jail if convicted and must remain in jail until he is tried.

There are some critical questions that need to be answered about this affair:

1. The reports state Urbina joined others and “attacked five workers with machetes who were bathing in his swimming pool”. Does that mean they used machetes to attack five workers in his pool? Or were there five workers in his pool with machetes who they attacked? To me there’s a big difference.

2. What kind of workers were these? White collar? Or were they from the slaughterhouse or fresh from inseminating cows and so forth? And was the pool posted with a requirement that swimmers shower before entering, and if so, had the workers complied? And if not, how long had it been since they bathed?

3. One of the injured workers stated: “This has nothing to do with money. We don’t want them to offer us any money and we’re not asking them for any money”. Does this mean the whole affair isn't just a cash grab, or are they looking for bearer bonds, unregistered securities and Krugerrands?

4. The reports state that Urbina poured gasoline on the workers, but were they still in the pool when this happened, and did he actually try to light them on fire? I think we’ve all been guilty at one time or another of pouring gasoline on someone, but there’s a big difference between trying to get a few laughs and actually lighting a person up.

5. One of the alleged “victims” needed 300 stitches to close the wounds on his back. He claims the wounds were not self-inflicted, but how much credence should be given to the statements of a man who is demonstratively a coward?