Cruz Trial: Defense Rests After Only 1 Day Of Testimony
QUINN CRUZ TRIAL CONTINUES
UPDATE: 9.26.07 – 3:45 P.M.
EL PASO,TX. – The case against Quinn Cruz will go to the jury Thursday. Cruz faces charges for the murder of Tonya West and her unborn child.
Cruz’s attorneys presented a defense that only lasted a few hours and then rested their case. The defense went over timelines of when West’s blood was taken, because she was given 17 units of blood that morning at Thomason Hospital. Both the defense and the prosecution raised questions about when life begins.
This was the first opportunity for the defense to offer their version of what happened the morning Tonya West was shot multiple times outside her Westside apartment. Defense attorneys spent the day focusing on Tonya West’s pregnancy. Earlier in the week a prosecution witness told the jury that West was 20 days pregnant when she was shot and later died.
9.25.07
EL PASO, TX. -Thesecond dayof testimony ended in the murder trial of 31-year-old Quinn Cruz, Jr. The prosecution has rested in this capital murder trial after calling nearly 25 witnesses to testify. The morning began with a friend of 25-year-old Tonya West testifying that as soon as she heard the gunshots the morning of November 18th, 2005, she immediately thought her friend had been shot by Quinn Cruz. Right before lunch, Doctor Juan Contine testified that West was 20-days pregnant the day she was killed. After the jury’s lunch break, El Paso Police detectives took the stand; Officer Machoro was answering phones at the West El Paso substation when, he testified that, Cruz called hours after the shooting. Machoro testified that Cruz only identified himself as Quinn and said he was going to turn himself in. He also said the defendant claimed he”tossed the weapon.” Testimony reveals the murder suspect could have possibly escaped from an area overrun with officers. The arrest may not have happened if Cruz had kept quiet. Machoro added that Cruz said his medication was”at the apartment complex.” Henry Gutierrez, who was anEPPD detective at the time, testified after Machoro. He told jurors that he spoke with Cruz hours after the shooting as well. According to testimony, Cruz told the detective “he wanted to turn himself in but he was afraid he was gonna get shot.”Tuesday’s testimony ended with the prosecution resting around 3:30in theafternoon. The defense will begin presenting its witnessesWednesday morning at10a.m. in the 205th district court.
