Thursday, February 3, 2011

The prosecution rested as defense tried to deflect attention away from their client

The prosecution rested its case today in the double-homicide trial for Minuteman American Defense founder Shawna Forde at Pima County Superior Court.

Shawna Forde
Forde, 43, is charged with two counts of first-degree felony murder in the deaths of Raul “Junior” Flores and his daughter, Brisenia, 9, as well as charges of one count of the attempted first-degree murder of Gina Marie Gonzalez; one count of burglary in the first-degree; one count of aggravated assault, serious physical injury; one count of aggravated assault, deadly weapon/dangerous instrument; one count of armed robbery; and one count of aggravated armed robbery.

More text messages

Cross-examination of the lead case detective, Juan Carlos Navarro, resumed this morning with additional testimony regarding the regarding cell phone records for everyone involved in the case.
•  Shawna Forde – (425) 356-2032
•  Albert Gaxiola – (520) 425-1443
•  Gina Moraga – (520) 358-5486
•  Oin Oakstar – (520) 822-4173
•  Jaszmin Eddy – (425) 356-7747

In the cell phone registered to Forde where entries for Bush as “Red” and Gaxiola as “Albert.”

In Gaxiola’s cell phone directory Forde as listed as “White.”

Some of the highlights of the text messages discussed today included:

• May 30, 6:15 a.m. – Forde (Bush) to Moraga (Gaxiola): “What is ur eta? This is Red.”
• May 30, 1:54 p.m. – Forde to Moraga (Gaxiola): “Hey bro saw the news everything is good.”
• May 30, 3:51 p.m. – Moraga (Gaxiola) to Forde: “It is good fucking car problems calling White in 2 min.”
• May 30, 7:02 p.m. – Moraga (Gaxiola) to Forde: “How yall hangin? Get ur rest and gather strength. Red on med leave. Have next target intel when we meet Gina.”
• May 30, 7:04 p.m. – Forde to Moraga (Gaxiola): “Who is Gina?”
• May 30, 9:28 p.m. – Forde to Moraga (Gaxiola): “We told the woman you are minuteman Red is patched up.”
• May 30, 9:30 p.m. – Moraga (Gaxiola) to Forde: “Red is good then have a good night.”
• May 30, 10:33 p.m. – Forde to Moraga (Gaxiola): “He is amazing man all good when you get keys see you in am love u.”

Snail mail

In rebuttal to cross-examination of Navarro, the state introduced another snail mail letter from Forde at the Pima County Adult Detention Center to her daughter Jaszmin Eddy. “Once I know you’re getting my mail I’ll go over some things with you,” Navarro read from a portion of the letter. As with the letters to her son, Devon Eddy, Forde appears to be asking for them to testify that the jewelry found in her possession was hers not the jewelry stolen from Gina Gonzalez.  

Gina Moraga

A question from the jury to Navarro wondered if a DNA profile was done of Gina Moraga. Navarro testified that there was no DNA profile. The jury also asked if the size 7 shoes found in her vehicle when Gaxiola was arrested were swabbed for DNA. “Her shoes were not swabbed,” he testified. “We had no evidence that she was part of the home invasion crew.”

More detectives

After the state rested, the defense called several detectives who have originally been on the state’s witness list, but they decided not to call. One of those detectives was Martyn Rosalik who searched the master bathroom at the Flores home. “Above the vanity I located a compartment that contained some court paperwork involving marijuana and a Robert Hamilton,” he testified. Rosalik said there was no apparent connection to Raul Flores.

Also, in a storage shed at the Flores home, Rosalik found an electric air purifier and shrink wrap. “Those items are used for storage of marijuana,” he testified.

Due to witness scheduling issues, the trial will not be in session on Friday, Feb. 4. Trial will resume on Tuesday, Feb. 8, with additional defense witnesses including Gaxiola neighbor Byron Easter and Colorado FBI informant Bob “Anglo” Copley expected to testify at the request of the defense.

Scheduling

The judge and the attorneys are expected to meet Wednesday without the jury to review final jury instructions and the verdicts in the case. Testimony is scheduled to resume Thursday morning with testimony from an expert witness. Closing arguments are anticipated on Thursday afternoon at which time deliberations would start.

© David S. Ricker, all rights reserved