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Kitchen Table Kibitzing 6/21/25 [1]

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Date: 2025-06-21

Finished jury duty about a week ago. Started April 17...delivered the verdict at 4:30 June 12.

Day one was orientation, we were given a package that included a questionnaire and a list people and companies that would be involved in the trial. We were also offered a hardship form. Claiming hardship or conflict was not always enough to keep you off the jury. They did tells us it was a murder charge but the death penalty would not be an option. I couldn’t have been involved in that.

The next day a few were brought in to discuss their hardship/conflict with the judge and released. Then they began calling in potential jurors ...of course I’m called first. Walking in to see the prosecution team, the judge, defense team and defendant ...I took my position in seat #1 and never moved. Once they filled 18 seats the other potential jurors filled the two court rooms. I was given a sheet of prompts and the mic ...name, occupation ...spouse, occupation ...kids, occupations, and hobbies. Not a fan of public speaking stuff. I mumbled my responses, the judge followed up with a couple questions ...and that was it for me for the next few days. Some of the others were really grilled. And some were released. I just sat in seat #1.

After going thru dozens of people and at the end of the 3rd day they all huddled to agree upon the final 12 jurors and 5 alternates. The judge wanted to stay on schedule. I was glad with some potentials they removed. Such as the retired HS football coach, the “detail” lady, and few others. They would not have been enjoyable during deliberations. Everybody else was released. We were sworn in and told to come back Monday morning.

They really drove into our heads… presumption of innocence, which was easy because I knew nothing of anybody or anything involved. Also nothing the lawyers say is evidence or a fact ...only testimony of witnesses and evidence submitted could be considered. And it was up to us to decide if the testimony was true and relevant. So opening statements are nice to orient yourself with the case but still just the words of the lawyers.

The first witness was the victim’s girlfriend. She was rightfully emotional, crying thru her testimony. Eventually she broke down telling judge, “I’m gonna be sick.” The judge ordered the jury out of the room and handed her a trashcan. I wasn’t the only juror crying on the way out. Tragic and brutal.

At the time it seemed the prosecutor did that to play on our emotions. But she did testify that the victim spent the day in Salinas. A fact that later would not be so relevant to guilt or innocence but to the tragic stupidity of it all.

Over the following weeks the prosecutor presented video, phone records, and witnesses to prove his case. The video came from numerous sources; the local park, different stores. Some of the video were poor quality or choppy. The camera at the scene was motion activated showing the victim and defendant up to just before the event but then going blank. Because the defendant brought a white pizza box with him it made easier to follow him thru the different videos. We see him dropped off at a shopping center, walking thru the park, sitting at the bus stop across the street from the scene, waiting for the victim. When the defendant saw the victim go into the liquor store he crossed the street and waited outside. We see him set down the pizza box and approach the victim. The video skips to the victim laying on the ground. And the park cam shows the defendant running thru the park to behind a Target store.

Behind Target the defendant meets up with somebody, he then takes off his sweatshirt and throws it away. The other guy gives him the sweatshirt he was wearing. They hangout around Target for the 10 minutes. Eventually somebody else comes to pick him up.

All three were reluctant witnesses; the guy that dropped him off, the guy behind Target, and the guy that picked him up. The prosecutor was able to get out of them that the defendant was who they picked up, dropped off, or saw behind Target. One witness had moved away and was trying get clean because he had a new baby. Another appeared to have been threatened in jail. He was what you would call a hostile witness. A lot of “I don’t remember” from all of them.

They also presented phone data. It took a lot to get a phone record into evidence. First somebody from the phone or text app company had to testify that those were actual company records, collected during the course of normal business, and subpoenaed by police. To be honest ...it did add a layer but not anything very conclusive.

At this point, reaching a verdict beyond a reasonable doubt was not going to be easy, if even possible.

Then came the confession.

The defense argued it was coerced or he was manipulated, in some way a false confession. We didn’t see it that way. It was obvious in the video he had been brought from jail to be questioned. The entire interview was 2-½ hours. The beginning was denial that he knew anything about the event. He spoke about being homeless since age 12...addiction...wanting to finish whatever sentence he was currently serving so he could be there for his 2 month old baby son. He wanted to give his son the family he did not get.

The defendant insisted he knew nothing about this case but would be willing to help them on other cases, if he knew anything. As the investigator slowly revealed info you could see him realize they had a lot of evidence against him. The investigator did play his emotions, “when your son is older he will know it is because you told the truth (confessed).”

He eventually confessed completely. Even helping the investigator lay out photos in the order of the night. This was not a false confession. He and somebody else were on the Watsonville levee when two guys started shooting at them. His friend was hit. Likely afraid to call the police or go to a hospital, they went to a friends to treat the gunshot wound. The defendant claimed he learned on the street who had shot at him and went seeking revenge.

My fellow jurors all took this very seriously and deliberations went smoothly. It took us 6 hours. We rewatched some video and went thru the transcript of the confession. We went thru the requirements of each possible charge/verdict. There was wording in the instructions regarding “provocation” which we “may” consider. We asked the judge ...her reply, “some words or terms have specific legal definitions, those definitions have been provided. Other words are just as they would be normally used.” LOL… it’s just a word dummies.

In the end… we all agreed guilty of murder 1, laying in wait, and felon with a gun. Stupid (he didn’t even kill the right guy. the victims girlfriend put the victim in Salinas all day) and tragic (lives wasted, so much sadness).

I and the other jurors felt both teams did the best they could, very professional but passionate about making their case. The judge seemed both fair and thoughtful ...she would often rifle thru rules, or notes, look up to the side as she considered how to rule.

Really don’t ever want to do that again. Very emotional. Making decisions on others lives. So tragic. Watching the victims parents start crying when our verdict was read brought a bit of relief ...or something. Still just all so tragic. Glad they got the best justice our system can provide ...even if it is not enough to erase the pain.

some shots from the last couple weeks…

TLO and her friend at no kings Santa Cruz

it was good to hit the streets with family

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