After nearly a week of witness testimony, jurors in the Agat Route 2 shooting trial will convene tomorrow to begin deliberations.
Jared Santos and Mariano Quinata are suspects in the 2018 shooting of Pedro Peredo. But according to defense attorney Anne Gayle and David Lujan, there isn’t enough evidence for the jury to hand down a guilty verdict.
Video surveillance from the Agat Mobil gas station and surrounding businesses were not retrieved by the Guam Police Department.
Attorney Gayle, who represents Quinata, pointed out in her closing arguments that police could have checked surveillance cameras in the area to find out where Santos and Quinata drove to after the Mobil encounter, but they didn’t.
She further pointed out that the occupants in the victim’s vehicle changed their story about when the shooting occurred, initially reporting that they were motoring on Route 2 and later indicating that they were parked on the side of the road.
She reminded the jury that Peredo was “blurred out drunk” and victim 2, Six Paulus, admitted that he never saw the gun or gunmen. He only assumed that it was them.
With no video and no eyewitnesses, Lujan in closing stated that Santos and Quinata were minding their own business and there is no evidence that they were the responsible parties.
Closing arguments were held on Friday. The jury in the case will convene tomorrow to weigh the evidence.
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