Post by Anja on Jun 21, 2006 1:05:31 GMT -5
Capital murder trial continues today----Swearingen is accused of shooting
to death couple in their sleep
Richard Tobon told jurors Monday he couldn't figure out what his aunt was
saying to him as she tried to tell him her 18-year-old son had been
killed.
"I just knew something bad had happened but I couldn't understand what she
was saying," Tobon, 21, said of Isaac Eli Maldonado's mother, Lilly.
Darrell Lee Swearingen, 28, is on trial, accused of capital murder in the
deaths of Maldonado and his 19-year-old girlfriend Jenna Kay Patek.
The 2 were shot Jan. 13, 2004, while sleeping in Maldonado's mother's
home.
Tobon said he and his father rushed to the Maldonado home 2 houses down
and found their bodies in an upstairs room.
Maldonado's mother also took the stand for the second time this year to
recount the night she found the bodies of her son and his girlfriend.
A previous trial in March was declared a mistrial after jurors failed to
reach a verdict during three days of deliberation. Two other men have been
charged in connection with the homicides.
Juan "Joey" Vela was the first of three men to go on trial for the
homicides. Vela was found not guilty of those charges in January 2005 and
is expected to testify during the trial for the prosecution.
A 3rd man, Elijah Dupree Huff, awaits a decision on a double jeopardy
motion by his attorney.
His trial ended in a mistrial twice because of juror misconduct.
Prosecutor James Sales said he could not comment on the specifics of the
previous trial or give further details on how he intends to proceed with
this trial because he wants to ensure jurors' minds are not clouded by the
previous mistrial.
"I'd prefer (jurors) not even know there was a mistrial," Sales said.
Sales, 1 of 2 prosecutors in the trial, said 7 of 25 planned witnesses
testified Monday, including 2 bouncers who both said Swearingen and Huff
made threats to Maldonado outside a local nightclub a couple months before
the killings.
If convicted, Swearingen could face the death penalty, prosecutors said.
Swearingen was released on bonds of $20,000 earlier this year with the
condition that he be kept under house arrest.
The trial is scheduled to continue today in the 117th District Court with
Judge Sandra L. Watts presiding.
(source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)
to death couple in their sleep
Richard Tobon told jurors Monday he couldn't figure out what his aunt was
saying to him as she tried to tell him her 18-year-old son had been
killed.
"I just knew something bad had happened but I couldn't understand what she
was saying," Tobon, 21, said of Isaac Eli Maldonado's mother, Lilly.
Darrell Lee Swearingen, 28, is on trial, accused of capital murder in the
deaths of Maldonado and his 19-year-old girlfriend Jenna Kay Patek.
The 2 were shot Jan. 13, 2004, while sleeping in Maldonado's mother's
home.
Tobon said he and his father rushed to the Maldonado home 2 houses down
and found their bodies in an upstairs room.
Maldonado's mother also took the stand for the second time this year to
recount the night she found the bodies of her son and his girlfriend.
A previous trial in March was declared a mistrial after jurors failed to
reach a verdict during three days of deliberation. Two other men have been
charged in connection with the homicides.
Juan "Joey" Vela was the first of three men to go on trial for the
homicides. Vela was found not guilty of those charges in January 2005 and
is expected to testify during the trial for the prosecution.
A 3rd man, Elijah Dupree Huff, awaits a decision on a double jeopardy
motion by his attorney.
His trial ended in a mistrial twice because of juror misconduct.
Prosecutor James Sales said he could not comment on the specifics of the
previous trial or give further details on how he intends to proceed with
this trial because he wants to ensure jurors' minds are not clouded by the
previous mistrial.
"I'd prefer (jurors) not even know there was a mistrial," Sales said.
Sales, 1 of 2 prosecutors in the trial, said 7 of 25 planned witnesses
testified Monday, including 2 bouncers who both said Swearingen and Huff
made threats to Maldonado outside a local nightclub a couple months before
the killings.
If convicted, Swearingen could face the death penalty, prosecutors said.
Swearingen was released on bonds of $20,000 earlier this year with the
condition that he be kept under house arrest.
The trial is scheduled to continue today in the 117th District Court with
Judge Sandra L. Watts presiding.
(source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)