If you have watched The Asunta Case on Netflix, Elena Garrido must have caught your attention. The attorney chooses to defend Asunta’s adoptive father, Alfonso Basterra, in the murder trial. But do you know that the character is based on a real-life lawyer, and most of her actions in the series imitate real events? Here is all you need to know about who Elena Garrido from The Asunta Case is in real life.
Elena Garrido: The Real Life Lawyer Who Inspired the Character in The Asunta Case
Elena Garrido is based on a lawyer named Belen Hospido who defends Alfonso Basterra in court. As seen in the show, Elena, that is Belen, was initially unsure about taking the case because she was worried that the public had already judged the couple based on media stories. When she took up the case, she avoided media attention to avoid distortion.
While in court, Hospido argued against the prosecution’s claims, stating that there wasn’t enough proof against Alfonso and that the evidence provided was weak. She also advised Basterra not to team up with his ex-wife, hoping he’d speak up in his defense. While she worked closely with Rosario Porto’s attorney to prepare the case, she ultimately focused on her own client, Alfonso, though losing the case in the end.
Two years after the murder, Hospido finally appeared in front of the media ready with her statement. She claimed that there was no evidence to prove that her client was guilty and that Alfonso ‘had never lied.’ She also revealed that her work was affected due to all the media attention that the case received.
At the time, the lawyer stressed in front of the media that since no one witnessed Asunta’s death, assumptions were being made. She believed that Alfonso’s innocence could be proved by the fact that he and his ex-wife genuinely wanted Asunta to be happy. Hospido often used the parents’ behavior as evidence and criticized the investigation for solely focusing on the parents, accusing Examining Judge José Antonio Vázquez Taín of bias. Hospido argued that the investigation only saw what it wanted, dismissing explanations and disregarding evidence contradicting the predetermined narrative.
Also Read: Who was the Real Life Vicente Dozon from The Asunta Case?