Suspect in Del Rey murder could face 60-year sentence after rejecting plea deal

The justice heard from 3 witnesses and yet ruled determination was capable grounds to proceed with the execution charge.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A time of back-and-forth closed-door negotiations led to a tense infinitesimal successful tribunal connected Wednesday arsenic an accused murderer rejected a plea deal.

"Depending connected the evidence, you whitethorn beryllium convicted of first-degree murder," said a Fresno County judge.

Prosecutors accidental Rolando Sanchez utilized his car to deed and termination Jaime Loza adjacent Carmel and Morro Avenues successful Del Rey backmost successful March.

The 55-year-old present faces a execution complaint for the incident.

He was successful tribunal Wednesday for a procedural step, wherever the justice has to regularisation if there's adjacent capable grounds to proceed with the case.

The justice was acceptable to get started astatine 10:30 am, but determination were respective delays.

The proceeding yet got underway astir 3 hours late.

"The radical offered Mr. Sanchez to plead to an amended number one," said Sanchez's nationalist defender.

Sanchez could've pleaded blameworthy to the lesser complaint of manslaughter and admitted to erstwhile incidents.

He rejected that woody aft reasoning it implicit during the 90-minute lunchtime recess.

The trade-off and implications were truthful large that the justice tried her champion to interruption down the connection 1 much time.

"You're looking astatine determination successful the scope of 61 oregon 62 years to beingness arsenic it's plead. They're making you an connection of 17 years," said the judge.

When Sanchez said helium wanted much clip to deliberation everything done with his household and nationalist defender, the justice suggested helium instrumentality connected Thursday morning.

The lawman territory lawyer disagreed. She said it was excessively late, and the woody was disconnected the table.

"The People are unwilling to widen oregon support that connection unfastened and proceed the preliminary proceeding until time morning. Is that correct?" asked the judge.

"That is correct, your honor. I person witnesses who person been present since this morning, who person jobs," replied the lawman territory attorney.

The justice said determination was thing she could bash to marque the DA's bureau support that woody open, and the preliminary proceeding got underway moments later.

She heard from 3 witnesses and yet ruled determination was capable grounds to proceed with the execution charge.

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