| Joshua Rodriguez on Trial
For Murder of Rival Dealer Scrolls Through Rap
Videos Used Against Him
by
Matthew Russell Lee, Patreon Book
Substack
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
June 2 – Joshua
Rodriguez has
three lawyers
for a murder
and marijuana
dealing trial
set to begin
on May 31. But
on May 30 for
the final
pre-trial
conference, he
was not
produced.
Inner City
Press was
there.
U.S.
District Court
for the
Southern
District of
New York
Judge Jed S.
Rakoff said
that the
rulings on
motions in
limine would
have to wait
for May 31,
before jury
selection.
He
said he'd put
12 in the jury
box then
question and
allow
challenges.
Each
side wants 15
minutes for
opening
arguments.
The
murder in
question was
of Jaquan
Millien, in
the Webster
Houses in The
Bronx.
On
May 31, the US
put on the
stand a
witness who
found the
father dead
and the son
shot and
called 911.
The defense
pointed out
that he was
working off
the books.
Next
was Detective
Brian
MacMurray. He
authenticated
a photo of the
son's bleeding
arm with entry
and exit
wounds. There
was a gasp for
air in the
gallery, and
some people
walked out.
The defense
asked if he
really got any
evidence in
the hospitals,
including
Bronx Lebanon
where the
deceased was
on a bed -
another photo.
The AUSA held
up the bloody
shirt, now
brown and not
red.
On
June 1,
Millien's
then-girlfriend
Ms. Yanellie
Ramirez with
an immunity
order
testified that
she did not
tell the
police who
came to her
apartment door
about
Millien's
fight with
Joshua
Rodriguez, who
she called
"Suave" -
since Suave's
girlfriend
lived right
next to her
and could hear
everything.
A law
enforcement
source told
Inner City
Press that the
case was
"dead" until,
after three
years, many of
the witnesses
had moved away
and proved
willing to
talk.
On cross,
Rodriguez'
lawyer sought
to learn more
about another
man who had
fought in the
building, a
man known as
Cracker. The
lawyer
objected when,
on re-direct,
Ramirez was
allowed to
answer that
Cracker's
fight had not
been with
Millien.
On
June 2,
Rodriguez'
counsel
cross-examined
the
government's
witness who
testified
about rap
videos on
Rodriguez'
Facebook
page.
Then a medical
examiner now
in Fort
Pierce,
Florida, an
NYPD bullet
expert, and a
woman from the
NYC Human
Resources
Administration
about
Rodriguez' use
of his
benefits
cards. (He was
taking food
and cash
assistance
during this
time).
With the jury
out of the
room but Inner
City Press in
the gallery,
Rodriguez was
scrolling
through his
Facebook page,
pointing out
videos to one
of his
lawyers. At
day's end,
with the US
having only
two more
witnesses for
Monday, the
defense said
it may call a
witness about
the rap
videos. The US
will get a
hour and half
in summation,
the defense an
hour, with the
charging
conference
probably
Monday at the
lunch break.
More
on Substack,
from forthcoming
Endless
Sentences, here
The
trial
continues.
The
case is US v.
Rodriguez,
22-cr-316
(Rakoff)
***
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