Post by Anja on Jun 11, 2006 16:47:42 GMT -5
Prosecutors weighing death for man charged in slaying
In Edinburg, Hidalgo County prosecutors are contemplating seeking the
death penalty against an Alabama man charged with robbing a 60-year-old
Donna resident and slashing his throat with a box cutter in April.
Douglas Armstrong, 36, is facing capital murder charges in connection with
the April 21 death of Rafael Castelan, who was found lying in the alley
between South Seventh and South Eight Street. Witnesses said they saw
Armstrong attack Castelan as Castelan walked home from the H.E.B. on
Miller Street.
Capital murder is the highest felony in the Texas Penal Code and is
punishable by either life in prison or the death penalty. A grand jury
indicted Armstrong on capital murder charges because the stabbing
allegedly occurred in the course of another crime - a robbery.
Armstrong is set for trial before Judge Noe Gonzalez in the 370th state
District court. At Armstrong's formal arraignment Wednesday, Assistant
District Attorney Joseph Orendain announced prosecutors were leaning
toward seeking the death penalty. However, they will meet this week to
finalize what penalty Armstrong will face in trial, which is set for Aug.
14.
Orendain said prosecutors will announce their decision in a June 26
hearing, where Armstrong's attorneys, Nereyda Morales-Martinez and Keno
Vasquez, will ask the judge to reduce the $1 million bond a Donna
municipal judge set against Armstrong.
"We are still waiting for information from various states," said Orendain,
explaining why prosecutors have not finalized which penalty they might
seek against Armstong.
Armstrong was born in Alabama but has lived in Georgia and Ohio. Records
show he moved to Hidalgo County in January and worked as a forklift
operator in Donna. Armstrong was arrested in Clayton County, Georgia in
1998 and charged with "terroristic threats and acts." He was convicted of
that charge and served about 6 months in prison.
Morales-Martinez was appointed to his case Wednesday and said she had not
had time to review her client's case because of another murder trial she
was working in this week.
Shortly after Castelan's slaying, Donna police found Armstrong changing
out of bloodied clothing at the Sunshine Bar on Hooks Avenue. He told
police he tried to help Castelan and denied stabbing or robbing him.
Hidalgo County juries have only sent 15 people to death row, according to
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Of those, two have been executed
and 10 are awaiting execution. Three have had their sentences commuted to
life.
If given the death penalty, Armstrong would be the 1st African-American
sent to death row in this county.
The last person from Hidalgo County sent to death row was Rodolfo
"Kreeper" Medrano in August 2005, in connection with the January 2003
murders of 6 men in Edinburg. 2 other alleged Tri-City Bomber gang members
- Juan Raul Navarro Ramirez and Humberto "Gallo" Garza - are also on death
row for that slaying, as well as a 3rd gang member, Robert "Bones" Gene
Garza, who was sentenced to death for a separate multiple homicide in
Donna in 2002.
(source: The Monitor)
In Edinburg, Hidalgo County prosecutors are contemplating seeking the
death penalty against an Alabama man charged with robbing a 60-year-old
Donna resident and slashing his throat with a box cutter in April.
Douglas Armstrong, 36, is facing capital murder charges in connection with
the April 21 death of Rafael Castelan, who was found lying in the alley
between South Seventh and South Eight Street. Witnesses said they saw
Armstrong attack Castelan as Castelan walked home from the H.E.B. on
Miller Street.
Capital murder is the highest felony in the Texas Penal Code and is
punishable by either life in prison or the death penalty. A grand jury
indicted Armstrong on capital murder charges because the stabbing
allegedly occurred in the course of another crime - a robbery.
Armstrong is set for trial before Judge Noe Gonzalez in the 370th state
District court. At Armstrong's formal arraignment Wednesday, Assistant
District Attorney Joseph Orendain announced prosecutors were leaning
toward seeking the death penalty. However, they will meet this week to
finalize what penalty Armstrong will face in trial, which is set for Aug.
14.
Orendain said prosecutors will announce their decision in a June 26
hearing, where Armstrong's attorneys, Nereyda Morales-Martinez and Keno
Vasquez, will ask the judge to reduce the $1 million bond a Donna
municipal judge set against Armstrong.
"We are still waiting for information from various states," said Orendain,
explaining why prosecutors have not finalized which penalty they might
seek against Armstong.
Armstrong was born in Alabama but has lived in Georgia and Ohio. Records
show he moved to Hidalgo County in January and worked as a forklift
operator in Donna. Armstrong was arrested in Clayton County, Georgia in
1998 and charged with "terroristic threats and acts." He was convicted of
that charge and served about 6 months in prison.
Morales-Martinez was appointed to his case Wednesday and said she had not
had time to review her client's case because of another murder trial she
was working in this week.
Shortly after Castelan's slaying, Donna police found Armstrong changing
out of bloodied clothing at the Sunshine Bar on Hooks Avenue. He told
police he tried to help Castelan and denied stabbing or robbing him.
Hidalgo County juries have only sent 15 people to death row, according to
the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Of those, two have been executed
and 10 are awaiting execution. Three have had their sentences commuted to
life.
If given the death penalty, Armstrong would be the 1st African-American
sent to death row in this county.
The last person from Hidalgo County sent to death row was Rodolfo
"Kreeper" Medrano in August 2005, in connection with the January 2003
murders of 6 men in Edinburg. 2 other alleged Tri-City Bomber gang members
- Juan Raul Navarro Ramirez and Humberto "Gallo" Garza - are also on death
row for that slaying, as well as a 3rd gang member, Robert "Bones" Gene
Garza, who was sentenced to death for a separate multiple homicide in
Donna in 2002.
(source: The Monitor)