Maryland's highest court today overturned the murder convictions of two men accused of the vicious killings of three children in Northwest Baltimore in 2004, saying the judge who oversaw the lengthy trial had erred.
The Maryland Court of Appeals ruled that the Baltimore Circuit Court judge failed to disclose to attorneys in the case the contents of six notes from jurors. Members of the jury had sent nearly 30 notes to the judge in the course of the two-month trial, and the legal issue on appeal was whether disclosure of all the notes might have altered the defense's trial strategy.
The defendants were Policarpio Espinoza Perez and Adan Canela, who were accused of the fatal throat-slashings of three young relatives in a Baltimore home in May 2004. The men, Mexican immigrants, are serving life sentences, but could face a third trial if the State's Attorney's Office decides to try again.
The victims were Lucero Espinoza, 8; her brother, Ricardo Espinoza, 9; and their male cousin, Alexis Espejo Quezada, 10. The first trial, in 2005, ended in a hung jury.
2 comments:
So we have two perverted idiots back on the street due to some incompetant judge. The lunatics are about to inherit the asylum if they have not already.
This judge is far from incompetent. He is one of the best, most dedicated judges in the area. I think the issue with the jury notes was a mistake and poor judgment. He is a great, fair judge who takes his job very seriously and always wants justice done. It's a shame this has happened because he always has the best intentions.
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