In Boston, a former Haitian mayor is facing trial following accusations that he misrepresented information on his visa application concerning a series of politically charged attacks during his tenure that resulted in one death and several injuries. Jean Morose Viliena, who resided in Malden, Massachusetts, was indicted in 2023 with three charges related to visa fraud. On his application, he allegedly claimed he had not participated in “extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence” against the people of Haiti.
Federal prosecutors assert that during Viliena’s time as mayor of Les Irois, a remote town of roughly 22,000 in western Haiti, he was responsible for “violent atrocities” against his political adversaries. This small, impoverished community is accessible only by a challenging mountain road.
Trial attorney Alexandra Skinnion, speaking to the jury, remarked on Viliena’s intolerance toward those who challenged or opposed his mayoral rule. She indicated that victims of Viliena’s alleged violence would share their testimonies during the trial.
The prosecution contends that in 2007, Viliena, along with supporters, reportedly invaded the home of a political adversary, where they fatally shot the opponent’s younger brother and subsequently crushed his skull with a rock. Further allegations state that in 2008, Viliena led an armed group, equipped with guns and machetes, to forcibly close a community radio station. In this incident, he allegedly pistol-whipped one individual and commanded the execution of both this man and another unnamed victim. However, both survived; one man lost a leg, and the other sustained injury, leading to blindness in one eye.
As the trial unfolds, Skinnion emphasized the court proceedings in Boston resulted from Viliena’s alleged deceit and undisclosed involvement in these violent events, which, if revealed, would have barred his entry into the United States.
Although the defense team maintains Viliena’s innocence, suggesting he never falsified his visa application, prior legal outcomes complicate his case. In 2023, an American jury, in a civil suit, held him accountable for the mentioned murder and assault, awarding $15.5 million in damages.
This legal action, initiated by the Center for Justice and Accountability based in San Francisco, represents plaintiffs David Boniface, Juders Ysemé, and the late Nissage Martyr, now replaced by his son, Nissandère Martyr. The lawsuit was filed in 2017 under the Torture Victim Protection Act of 1991, which sanctions legal proceedings against foreign officials within the U.S. if local avenues of justice have been exhausted.
The center has petitioned the U.S. State Department, Embassy in Haiti, and relevant international human rights bodies to collaborate with Haitian authorities to safeguard their clients and relatives from potential threats and retaliatory acts.
Representing Viliena, defense attorneys argue that representatives of an opposing political faction, including certain government witnesses, are the actual perpetrators of the violence ascribed to their client. They portray Viliena as a farmer’s son who pursued teaching before entering politics to enhance his community’s quality of life.
“Our client, Mr. Viliena, is innocent,” stated his lead attorney, Jason Benzaken, expressing confidence in the forthcoming opportunity to demonstrate this in court proceedings.