José Castelo Branco learned this Wednesday afternoon, May 8, the coercive measures resulting from the accusation of domestic violence against his wife, Betty Grafstein. The socialite will be released, but he is forbidden from approaching or contacting the jewelry designer.

The art dealer will be subject to remote technical means of control (electronic bracelet) and is therefore forbidden from remaining at the residence that Betty Grafstein will occupy when she is discharged from the hospital. José is also no longer able to visit his wife in the hospital, something he tried to do insistently in the days before his arrest.

"The only coercive measure he is subject to is a ban on contacting the victim and a ban on approaching her," noted Fernando José Silva, one of José Castelo Branco's lawyers, upon leaving the Sintra court.

"At this time, he does not have any deprivation of freedom of movement. The only thing he cannot do is approach the victim," he also clarified.

Fernando José Silva also mentioned that there is "a parallel phenomenon to this issue that is strange," later clarifying that he is referring to the fact that there is a "great concern on the part of the hospital to impute facts" to the socialite. "I still haven't understood when the fall that caused the victim's fracture happened, I see a lot of concern on the part of the hospital in wanting to find facts in relation to José," he also said.

Fernando José Silva added that the 95-year-old jewelry designer is "visibly disturbed, visibly with her faculties affected" and that "she did not want to make any statement," "She never said that [that she was a victim of domestic violence], she did not say anything. She did not want to [speak]," he added.

It should be recalled that José Castelo Branco was arrested by the National Republican Guard (GNR) yesterday morning, May 7, just minutes before going live on TVI's program 'Dois às 10'. Due to the strike by court officers, he was only heard today, having spent the night at the GNR facilities in Alcabideche.

The Public Ministry opened an investigation following a complaint of alleged domestic violence by José Castelo Branco against his wife. It was allegedly made by the medical team at the CUF Cascais Hospital, where Betty had been hospitalized for several days, and she herself allegedly reported the episodes of aggression she had suffered.

Betty Grafstein has a pulmonary embolism and has since been transferred to the intensive care unit of the CUF Tejo Hospital.

[News updated at 8:34 p.m.]

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