Post by Anja Nieser on Sept 10, 2006 22:31:46 GMT -5
Accused gang member on trial----Victim was killed in '05 amid alleged drug
deal
Leaving his sister's house near Victoria one night in May 2005, Javier
Garcia Lara thought he was meeting men to complete a drug deal in Corpus
Christi, prosecutors said Thursday during a capital murder trial for the
man accused of killing him.
Instead, prosecutors told jurors in opening statements that Sebastian N.
Mejia, allegedly a member of a Texas prison gang, shot Lara inside his
rental car near Robstown for cooperating with authorities and dating a
gang member's sister.
In the 1st day of testimony, prosecutors called former gang members who
portrayed the gang as a ruthless group that killed at will. Prosecutor
James Gardner said Mejia killed 26-year-old Lara to prove loyalty.
Defense attorney Hector Rene Gonzalez said in his opening statement that
his client is innocent, all evidence against him is circumstantial and
there are conflicting reports of who was responsible for Lara's death.
"Not once did investigators find one piece of evidence that my client was
in this car, the rental car, Gonzalez said. "(Gang members) are crossing
the line to set up Sebastian Mejia to escape from the wrath of justice."
Gonzalez said outside of court that Mejia, 27, was never in the gang and
another man in the group shot Lara.
Police discovered Lara dead at the wheel of a silver Mitsubishi with one
gunshot wound to the right temple at County Roads 75 and 52.
More testimony is due today. Mejia remained in the Nueces County Jail on
Thursday and is not eligible to be released on bond because of a pending
assault charge in Victoria. If convicted on the capital murder charge,
prosecutors plan to seek a penalty of life in prison.
(source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)
deal
Leaving his sister's house near Victoria one night in May 2005, Javier
Garcia Lara thought he was meeting men to complete a drug deal in Corpus
Christi, prosecutors said Thursday during a capital murder trial for the
man accused of killing him.
Instead, prosecutors told jurors in opening statements that Sebastian N.
Mejia, allegedly a member of a Texas prison gang, shot Lara inside his
rental car near Robstown for cooperating with authorities and dating a
gang member's sister.
In the 1st day of testimony, prosecutors called former gang members who
portrayed the gang as a ruthless group that killed at will. Prosecutor
James Gardner said Mejia killed 26-year-old Lara to prove loyalty.
Defense attorney Hector Rene Gonzalez said in his opening statement that
his client is innocent, all evidence against him is circumstantial and
there are conflicting reports of who was responsible for Lara's death.
"Not once did investigators find one piece of evidence that my client was
in this car, the rental car, Gonzalez said. "(Gang members) are crossing
the line to set up Sebastian Mejia to escape from the wrath of justice."
Gonzalez said outside of court that Mejia, 27, was never in the gang and
another man in the group shot Lara.
Police discovered Lara dead at the wheel of a silver Mitsubishi with one
gunshot wound to the right temple at County Roads 75 and 52.
More testimony is due today. Mejia remained in the Nueces County Jail on
Thursday and is not eligible to be released on bond because of a pending
assault charge in Victoria. If convicted on the capital murder charge,
prosecutors plan to seek a penalty of life in prison.
(source: Corpus Christi Caller-Times)