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Pocono News Section
Testimony Wraps Up in Beating Death Trial
Testimony Wraps Up in Beating Death Trial - Thursday, April 30, 2009 at 4:07PM EST
Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday, Apr 30, 2009 @ 04:07pm EST
POTTSVILLE, SCHUYLKILL COUNTY - Testimony has wrapped-up in a high-profile beating death trial in Schuylkill County. On the same day the defense started calling witnesses, lawyers also wrapped-up their case.
Neither suspect, Brandon Piekarsky or Derrick Donchak, took the stand Thursday.
It took defense lawyers a little more than two hours to present all of their evidence and testimony. They only called four witnesses, but lawyers say its enough to prove their clients are not guilty in the beating death of Luis Ramirez.
When asked if he felt confident, Piekarsky's lawyer Fred Fanelli said, "We'll talk about it tomorrow after the verdict."
Piekarsky is facing a third-degree murder charge in connection with the death of Ramirez last summer in Shenandoah. Derrick Donchak is the other teenager on trial.
"You're never sure when a trial ends exactly what the jury is thinking obviously, but as far as we're concerned we're in the best position we could possibly be in at this point," attorney Jeff Markosky said. Markosky is Derrick Donchak's lawyer.
In the last day of testimony, two police officers took the stand.
Both Robert Sanape and Michelle Ashman said they heard an eyewitness (Ariel Garcia) identify the person who kicked Ramirez as Brian Scully, not Brandon Piekarsky, as prosecutors allege.
Also on the stand, county detective Tony Carroll, who was accused of not doing enough "leg work" to try and identify the correct person who kicked Ramirez.
As for why neither suspect took the stand, he's Markosky said, "We felt we were going to place the burden on the commonwealth to prove their case and that's what we did." When asked if the commonwealth proved their case, Markosky answered, "that's going to be for the jury to decide."
Closing arguments are expected to begin at 9:00 AM on Friday morning. The jury should begin their deliberations by lunch-time. | | |
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