Monday, March 27th:
*Status Conference Hearing (
murder) & Case Management Hearing (
contraband) (@ 4pm PT) – AZ –
Isabel Mercedes Celis (6) (missing from home April 21, 2012, Tucson, found in a desert area in Marana, located off of Avra Valley & Trico roads on Mar. 3, 2017, Id’ed Mar. 31, 2017) –
*Christopher Matthew Clements (30 @ time of 1st crime/36/now 41) aka Damion James Johnson indicted (9/15/18) & arraigned &
charged (9/24/18) with 1 count of 1st degree murder, 1 count of kidnapping a minor under 15 & 14 counts of sexual exploitation of minors. Plead not guilty. $2M cash only bond. DA will not seek DP.
Murder trial for Isabel began on with jury selection on 2/9/23 & a jury was selected. Jury: 9 men & 6 women. Only 12 will actively participate in the trial (other 3 will be alternates). One juror was dismissed (2/22/23) 2 alternates. Pima County Superior Court Judge James Marner presiding.
Trial began on Tuesday, 2/14/23 thru 3/3/23. State rested their case on 2/28/23. Defense started their case on 2/28/23. Jury deliberations: 3/2/23: 4 ½ hours. 3/3/23: ~2 ½ hours – total: ~7 hours. Jury could not come up with a verdict & Judge James Marner declares a mistrial.
11 voted for conviction, one for acquittal. The only juror who made this a mistrial said loudly that he was not operating on the basis of reasonable doubt, but on the basis of all doubt. Other jurors attempted to explain the jury’s instructions to the judge. “That one juror said there wasn’t enough evidence, I need something like a video showing the crime in progress, DNA, all that stuff.”
Court hearings from 8/23/19 to 2/8/23 & Jury selection (2/9/23) & Trial Day 1-11 (2/14 to 3/1/23) & Jury Deliberations Day 1 (3/2/23) reference post #633 here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-32
3/3/23 Friday, Trial Day 13/Jury Deliberations (Day 2): A jury could not agree on whether Clements is guilty or not guilty. The jurors considered the case for about seven hours over two days. Judge James Marner accepted the jury's assertion it cannot come to a unanimous verdict & declared a mistrial. A mistrial does allow prosecutors to put on a new trial. The Pima County Attorney's Office released a statement saying they will pursue a new trial. That will include a new jury. But prosecutors say they do not yet know when the new jury selection will begin.
For more info see post #634 (article) here:
https://www.websleuths.com/forums/t...tucson-20-april-2012-arrest-27.464075/page-32
3/4/23 Update: Next status conference hearing to set trial date on 3/27/23 @ 4pm.
*Maribel Victoria Gonzales (13) - Trial started 9/13/22 & ended 9/30/22 with a guilty verdict. Sentenced on 11/14/22 to natural life in prison & 17 years for kidnapping. The kidnapping sentence will be served consecutively with the sentence of natural life.
*Christopher Matthew Clements (41)
charged (2/28/23) with promoting/ possession of prison contraband a felony (2/7/23).
3/4/23 Update: Case management conference hearing on 3/27/23 @ 4pm.