Cuadra jury picked; opening arguments today
Do you think he'll be found innocent?
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WILKES-BARRE – Prosecutors were moving computers, a projector screen and boxes of evidence into a Luzerne County courtroom Monday night in anticipation of Harlow Cuadra’s capital murder trial.
Opening arguments are set to begin this morning after five sluggish days of selecting 12 jurors and four alternates ended early Monday evening.
Cuadra, 27, could face the death penalty if he is convicted of first-degree homicide in the killing of rival gay pornographic movie producer Bryan Kocis.
Investigators alleged Cuadra and his partner, Joseph Kerekes, 35, both from Virginia Beach, Va., killed Kocis, 44, in his Dallas Township home that they set on fire on Jan. 24, 2007.
Kerekes pleaded guilty on Dec. 8 to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. Kerekes pledged when he was sentenced that he won’t testify against Cuadra. He is jailed at the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill.
Assistant district attorneys Michael Melnick, Shannon Crake and Allyson Kacmarski have issued more than 150 subpoenas for witnesses to testify during the expected two- to three-week trial. Most of the witnesses are from other states, including a witness – Robert Wagner – from London, England.
Wagner was allegedly on the telephone speaking with Kocis prior to Kocis’ murder.
Prosecutors are expected to show the jury a number of crime scene and autopsy photographs, surveillance video of Cuadra and Kerekes buying a knife from a pawn shop, and play two recordings of conversations the two men had with Grant Roy and Sean Lockhart in San Diego, in April 2007.
Investigators allege Cuadra and Kerekes made several admissions during the conversations about the homicide and the way Kocis was killed, according to arrest records.
A recording device was placed on Roy when the four men met at a San Diego restaurant on April 27, 2007, and investigators installed a device in an electronic key chain when the four men visited a nude beach on April 28, 2007.
Roy and Lockhart are expected to testify. They were embattled in a federal civil lawsuit against Kocis’ company, Cobra Video, which was settled in January 2007.
Prosecutors allege Cuadra and Kerekes considered Kocis their rival in the gay porn industry, and wanted to film movies with Lockhart, who was under contract by Cobra Video.
The jury is expected to be shown e-mails Cuadra, under the name Danny Moilin, allegedly sent to Kocis.
Investigators allege Cuadra sent Kocis an application to become a model for Cobra Video, and agreed to meet on Jan. 24, 2007.
Cuadra is represented by attorneys Joseph D’Andrea and Paul Walker, who began defending him in December. FULL STORY
