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FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- A antheral arrested past period for a 2020 execution astatine a motel successful Huron appeared successful a Fresno County courtroom Friday.
A parent and girl who cognize the accused shooter, Cesar Velasquez, took the stand.
There were moments of soundlessness and adjacent laughter successful the courtroom.
Nearly 5 years aft 27-year-old Javier Merino Perez was fatally changeable successful the cervix successful Huron, Velasquez appeared successful a courtroom successful handcuffs for his preliminary hearing.
Indra Vasquez Cortez and her parent Norma took the stand.
Both women are presently successful custody connected unrelated charges.
Norma was questioned astir a clip her girl called her crying and successful panic erstwhile she was with Velasquez.
"She was successful the car; she called maine implicit the telephone and said, 'Mom he's taking maine determination I don't cognize wherever I'm going," recalled Norma.
"I said, 'Cesar bring maine my girl back. Where are you going?'"
Her daughter, Indra, admitted to having a little romanticist narration with Velasquez.
The defence besides pressed her astir that telephone telephone to her mother, and if she had spoken to the constabulary regarding the murder.
At first, she denied both.
During questioning, she locked eyes with Velasquez respective times, astatine 1 constituent laughing and smiling.
'I'm amazed to spot him successful the courtroom close now," said Indra.
"You're amazed you spot who?" responded a prosecutor.
"Ceasar," Indra replied.
"Why are you surprised?" asked the prosecutor. "I noticed you (and Velasquez) are laughing. No one's ever asked you astir this car ride?"
"No," said Indra.
As questioning continued, hostility began to rise.
"So, you don't callback Cesar attacking Modesto and Modesto being covered successful blood?" asked the prosecutor.
"I didn't cognize that happened," said Indra.
Velasquez softly played with his hands portion his parent watched from wrong the courtroom.
During questioning, some witnesses admitted to a past of substance abuse.
In the end, the defence utilized that accusation to assertion they were unfit to testify, but the justice rapidly unopen down that claim.
"Given this is simply a lawsuit that progressive events successful either 2019 oregon 2020 and this happens to beryllium 2025 and that determination was evidently a batch of self-admitted cause use, determination whitethorn beryllium issues arsenic to lying oregon not. But I deliberation she is competent to testify," the justice ruled.
Velasquez has pleaded not guilty.
He volition beryllium backmost successful tribunal adjacent Tuesday wherever adjacent much witnesses volition instrumentality the stand.
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