Post by sclcookie on May 31, 2006 1:38:58 GMT -5
County will not seek death penalty against Juarez
Hidalgo County prosecutors Tuesday reversed their decision to seek the
death penalty against alleged Tri-City Bomber gang leader Jeffrey "Dragon"
Juarez, accused in the 2003 murders of six men in Edinburg.
In January 2005, Assistant District Attorneys Cregg Thompson and Joseph
Orendain announced they would seek the death penalty against Juarez, 30,
of Pharr, for his role in the murders. However, during Tuesday's pretrial
hearing in 332nd state District Court Judge's Mario Ramirez's courtroom,
prosecutors said the district attorneys office would no longer seek the
death penalty. Juarez is charged with capital murder, and if found guilty,
would receive an automatic life sentence.
Prosecutors declined to discuss why they changed the sentence, referring
to a gag order that prohibits both sides from discussing the cases
specifics with the media.
"We are very happy that the state has decided to withdraw the death
penalty, however from the defenses perspective, our work will not be over
until we prove Jeffrey Juarez's innocence," said Juarez's defense attorney
Reynaldo "Trey" Garza.
Juarez, who police say is at the top of the gang's military-style chain of
command, was in the Houston-suburb of Sugar Land at the time of the crime,
but is accused of approving the plans to steal marijuana from gang members
of the rival Texas Chicano Brotherhood.
The gang members are accused of entering the 2 houses at 2915 E. Monte
Cristo Road and killing the 6 men.
Police found the bodies of Jimmy Edward Almendariz, 22; brothers Jerry
Eugene Hidalgo, 24, and Ray Hidalgo, 30; brothers Juan Delgado Jr., 32,
and Juan Delgado III, 20; and Ruben Rolando Castillo, 32, in and around
the 2 small homes. The men were shot several times with assault weapons.
Pharr police arrested Juarez in July 2003 during a routine traffic stop.
The announcement could signal the end of death penalty cases relating to
the 6-person homicide, which resulted in capital murder charges against 13
men.
Of those indicted in the murders, 4 - Robert Gene "Bones" Garza, Juan Raul
Navarro Ramirez, Humberto "Gallo" Garza and Rodolfo "Kreeper" Medrano -
have already been sent to death row, and 2 others, Juan "Perro" Nunez and
Ricardo "Rica" Cabello are still on the run.
Jorge Norberto "Choche" Martinez pleaded guilty to capital murder, and is
now serving a life sentence.
Including Juarez, there are 6 men awaiting their capital murder trials in
Hidalgo County Jail and prosecutors have announced they will not seek the
death penalty for 3: Juarez, Roberto Cantu and Reymundo "Kito" Sauceda.
They have not stated their intentions in the cases of Marcial Mata
Bocanegra, Salvador "Little Sal" Solis or Juan Arturo "Juanon" Villarreal
Cordova.
Cantu, 27, is the next man set for trial in September, and is the only man
charged in the crime who was not a Tri-City Bomber gang member. In his
co-defendant's trial, police have testified that Cantu's girlfriend at the
time attended a party at the Monte Cristo homes and saw the large amount
of marijuana. She then told Cantu about the drugs, who in turn told his
Tri-City Bomber gang member friends.
Cantu is accused of helping hatch the plan and of driving several of the
gang members to the property on the night of the raid.
(source: The Monitor)
Hidalgo County prosecutors Tuesday reversed their decision to seek the
death penalty against alleged Tri-City Bomber gang leader Jeffrey "Dragon"
Juarez, accused in the 2003 murders of six men in Edinburg.
In January 2005, Assistant District Attorneys Cregg Thompson and Joseph
Orendain announced they would seek the death penalty against Juarez, 30,
of Pharr, for his role in the murders. However, during Tuesday's pretrial
hearing in 332nd state District Court Judge's Mario Ramirez's courtroom,
prosecutors said the district attorneys office would no longer seek the
death penalty. Juarez is charged with capital murder, and if found guilty,
would receive an automatic life sentence.
Prosecutors declined to discuss why they changed the sentence, referring
to a gag order that prohibits both sides from discussing the cases
specifics with the media.
"We are very happy that the state has decided to withdraw the death
penalty, however from the defenses perspective, our work will not be over
until we prove Jeffrey Juarez's innocence," said Juarez's defense attorney
Reynaldo "Trey" Garza.
Juarez, who police say is at the top of the gang's military-style chain of
command, was in the Houston-suburb of Sugar Land at the time of the crime,
but is accused of approving the plans to steal marijuana from gang members
of the rival Texas Chicano Brotherhood.
The gang members are accused of entering the 2 houses at 2915 E. Monte
Cristo Road and killing the 6 men.
Police found the bodies of Jimmy Edward Almendariz, 22; brothers Jerry
Eugene Hidalgo, 24, and Ray Hidalgo, 30; brothers Juan Delgado Jr., 32,
and Juan Delgado III, 20; and Ruben Rolando Castillo, 32, in and around
the 2 small homes. The men were shot several times with assault weapons.
Pharr police arrested Juarez in July 2003 during a routine traffic stop.
The announcement could signal the end of death penalty cases relating to
the 6-person homicide, which resulted in capital murder charges against 13
men.
Of those indicted in the murders, 4 - Robert Gene "Bones" Garza, Juan Raul
Navarro Ramirez, Humberto "Gallo" Garza and Rodolfo "Kreeper" Medrano -
have already been sent to death row, and 2 others, Juan "Perro" Nunez and
Ricardo "Rica" Cabello are still on the run.
Jorge Norberto "Choche" Martinez pleaded guilty to capital murder, and is
now serving a life sentence.
Including Juarez, there are 6 men awaiting their capital murder trials in
Hidalgo County Jail and prosecutors have announced they will not seek the
death penalty for 3: Juarez, Roberto Cantu and Reymundo "Kito" Sauceda.
They have not stated their intentions in the cases of Marcial Mata
Bocanegra, Salvador "Little Sal" Solis or Juan Arturo "Juanon" Villarreal
Cordova.
Cantu, 27, is the next man set for trial in September, and is the only man
charged in the crime who was not a Tri-City Bomber gang member. In his
co-defendant's trial, police have testified that Cantu's girlfriend at the
time attended a party at the Monte Cristo homes and saw the large amount
of marijuana. She then told Cantu about the drugs, who in turn told his
Tri-City Bomber gang member friends.
Cantu is accused of helping hatch the plan and of driving several of the
gang members to the property on the night of the raid.
(source: The Monitor)