Martine Moïse, the widow of slain Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, returned to the witness stand for a second day on Wednesday in the federal trial of four South Florida men accused of orchestrating her husband's assassination. Testifying in Miami federal court, Moïse provided emotional and at times graphic details about the July 2021 attack inside their bedroom at their home in Petionville, Haiti.
Key Takeaways
Martine Moïse testified for a second day in Miami federal court about the assassination of her husband, Haitian President Jovenel Moïse. She described graphic details of the attack and accused former leaders Michel Martelly and Ariel Henry of involvement.
- Martine Moïse provided emotional testimony on July 2021 assassination
- Accused former Haitian President Michel Martelly and Prime Minister Ariel Henry of connections to the killing
- Described being shot multiple times and pretending to be dead during the attack
- Defense attorneys questioned inconsistencies in her statements to FBI agents
Moïse directly accused former Haitian President Michel Martelly and former Prime Minister Ariel Henry of having connections to her husband's killing. She testified that she has filed a formal complaint accusing Henry and claimed that people now in power in Haiti are among those involved in the murder. "They accuse me because the people who killed him are now in power in Haiti," Moïse said, referring to questions about why she herself has been under investigation in Haiti.
Throughout much of the day, jurors heard Moïse recount the moments leading up to the assassination. She testified that after hearing gunfire around 1 a.m., she checked on her children and told them to hide before returning to the bedroom where she saw her husband lying wounded. Moïse described being shot first and then pretending to be dead as attackers searched for something in the room.
"I saw his face disfigured," she said, describing the moment she looked toward her husband while lying on the floor. She testified that after signaling to him that she was still alive, he appeared to gather strength before being shot again. Moïse estimated the ordeal lasted about 45 minutes and described severe injuries she suffered in the attack.
During cross-examination, defense attorneys focused on inconsistencies between Moïse's testimony and statements she gave FBI agents after the shooting. Among the issues raised were whether she went downstairs before returning to the bedroom, when attackers searched for documents, how many times she was shot, and the order of events during the attack. Moïse repeatedly pushed back, saying she never reviewed FBI reports and could only testify to what she personally remembers.
The four defendants on trial are Arcangel Pretel Ortiz, Antonio Intriago, Walter Veintemilla, and James Solages. Prosecutors allege they were among the masterminds behind the plot to kill Jovenel Moïse. A fifth co-defendant, Christian Sanon, is also charged in the broader case but is not currently on trial due to health concerns.
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