State, Defense Rest In Marmolejo Murder Trial: Defendant Doesn’t Testify

The state and defense rested in the David Marmolejo trial on Thursday and the jury is expected to begin deliberations on Friday.

Davis has been charged with murder in the July 2009 death of his mother, Gloria Marmolejo.

Before the defense began presenting its case, David stood before Judge Gonzalo Gonzalez and exercised his right not to testify.

David explained his decision, even though he did not have to.

“I’m making the decision based on everything I needed to see has been seen already,” David said before Gonzalez interrupted him and reminded him he did not have to offer an explanation.

Prior to the defense presenting its case, the prosecution’s final witness was David’s brother, Manny Marmolejo. Manny seemed to be upset and disgusted with his brother when he walked into the courtroom.

Additional law enforcement officers were standing nearby as Manny took his seat on the witness stand.

Manny testified that he always suspected some sort of romantic relationship between his brother and stepsister, Mariah Wilson.

But he said he didn’t find out about the extent of that relationship until he visited his brother in jail.

Manny told the jury he came to El Paso as soon as he realized his mother was missing.

He said when he arrived at her home, “(her bedroom) looked clean. It didn’t look like the rest of the house. There were dirty dishes in the sink, but her bed was all made.”

The defense rested after calling one police officer as a witness.

Wednesday, Wilson took the stand and told the jury David admitted killing his mother. Closing arguments are set to begin at 9 a.m. Friday.