Murder Judge´s Questions
JUDGE (1): Raise your right hand, please. You do solemnly swear that the testimony you may give in the cause now pending in this court shall be the truth, the whole truth, but nothing but the truth, so help you God?
JUDGE (2): Please, take the witness stand. State your full name and spell your last name for the record.
JUDGE (3): Directing your attention to the early morning hours of July 10 of this year, do you remember where you were residing when the incident between Magadalena Sotero and Jesús María Avellaneda took place?
JUDGE (4): Do you recall if the address was 2427 Valley View Blvd in the city of Los Angeles?
JUDGE (5): Mrs. Sotero. Let me show you what has been marked as exhibit 2 for identification. This is a police report. Will you please read page 2, line 17, to see if it will refresh your memory?
JUDGE (6): Thank you, Mrs. Sotero. Now, going back to the early hours of July 10 of this year, Can you describe in your own words what happened between Magadalena and Jesús María which led to the fight and ultimately ended in Magdalena´s death?
JUDGE (7): Now, tell us Mrs. Sotero, what...if any... unusual occurrences transpired that night after you had retired?
JUDGE (8): Yes, of course. Did anything unusual, out of ordinary, happen that night after you went to bed?
JUDGE (9): Go on, Mrs. Sotero. What did you do next?
JUDGE (10): Mrs. Sotero. Let´s go back to the night in question. You just stated that you went to bed around 11:00 after consuming a few beers with your neighbors. Can you recall that day, under oath, how many beers you consumed that evening and in what period of time? Let me rephrase this question. Do you recall how many beers you had had that night before before you went to bed around 11:00?
JUDGE (11): And how many beers did you consume after you were done eating? I mean beer or any other alcoholic beverage you may have been invited to consume?
JUDGE (12): How much time went by or elapsed from the time you consumed your first drink, I believed you stated it was "tequila", until you went to bed 11:00 on July 9?
JUDGE (13): Thank you, Mrs. Sotero. Now, let´s go to the morning of that July 10 of this year. When you said you were awakened by screams. Can you tell us if you had the opportunity to see what time it was when you woke up, in other words, did you look at the clock?
JUDGE (14): What happened next?
JUDGE (15): And what happened when you got to the living room?
JUDGE (16): One moment, Mrs. Sotero. Let´s slow down a bit so we can get all the details. You just said that you actually saw Jesús María hitting Magdalena with something. What was that thing that you saw in Jesus´hand?
JUDGE (17): Mrs. Sotero, it is important for you to try to remember as many details as possible of what happened the morning of July 10. Please, think carefully, was it a gun Jesús María had in his hand, or was it any other kind of weapon?
JUDGE (18): I want to know if what you saw that morning was a firearm or a bladed weapon. Do you understand the difference?
JUDGE (19): What was your reaction? or What did you do when you saw what was happening? Did you try to assist Magdalena in some way?
JUDGE (20): Getting back to when you first saw Jesús hitting Magdalena with the gun, how did you know it was him?. Forget this question. Let me rephrase it. Were the lights on in the living room when you entered in the early morning hours of July 10?
JUDGE (21): So you recognized Jesús María´s voice? Do you know him well?
JUDGE (22): What did you hear him say to Magdalena?
JUDGE (23): What else do you remember he said to her?
JUDGE (24): I´m sorry to embarrass you, but you have to tell me the exact words you heard and that you can recall.
JUDGE (25): And did Magdalena say anything back?
JUDGE (26): Thank you, Mrs. Sotero. I have no further questions.