The Brazilian legal team for the man accused of killing New York gallerist Brent Sikkema in Rio de Janeiro in January has resigned.
As first reported by Artnet News, attorneys Greg Andrade and Edna de Castro were representing Alejandro Triana Prevez, the 30-year-old Cuban who confessed to a role in the murder of Brent allegedly arranged by the galleriest’s ex-husband, Daniel Sikkema. Following a visit with Prevez at the Bangu 8 prison, where he is awaiting trial, the attorneys said that they had resigned from their roles “for reasons of personal conscience” and because they had disagreed with Prevez on the best strategy for his defense.
The attorneys also alluded in a text exchange with Artnet News to “external influences” that have a “vested interest” in withholding significant information from trial.
“We do not agree with arrangements, schemes, and other maneuvers aimed at benefiting anyone for money,” Andrade and de Castro said in a joint statement. “The career of lawyers Gregório Andrade and Edna de Castro is not for sale.”
They would not clarify on the aforementioned “schemes” but Andrade said he believes Prevez has been in contact with Daniel Sikkema.
Prevez confessed to the murder of Brent in February, telling Brazilian authorities that Daniel offered him $200,000 for the crime. Prevez had been caught on video surveillance leaving the dealer’s apartment around the time of the murder. However, his former legal team said that Prevez had been orchestrated into the situation by a third party and had been drugged before visiting the apartment.
Daniel was arrested in New York in March.
Brent was found dead on January 15 by his friend and lawyer, Simone Nunes, having suffered multiple stab wounds to his face and chest. Prevez alleged that Daniel was unhappy with their divorce settlement, feeling that deepened amid Brent’s purported spending on parties. The Brent had reportedly also denied Daniel visitation rights for their son.
The 75-year-old dealer founded Sikkema Jenkins & Co., a respected New York gallery that represents artists such as Jeffrey Gibson, who is representing the United States at this year’s Venice Biennale, which opened to the press last week.
