AC repairman self-defense acquittal is an example of trial risk paying off, expert says

[Elderberry]

 Arizona Republic by Perry Vandell 11/7/2019

Robert Moore walked out of the Lower Buckeye Jail as a free man this week after spending nearly 16 months in jail while awaiting his trial on a second-degree murder charge.

A Maricopa County jury found him not guilty on Wednesday, returning a verdict just one day after it began deliberations in a case and after several days of testimony.

His defense attorneys argued that Moore, now 27, killed 41-year-old Frank Pineda on July 20, 2018 to protect his own life. But prosecutors with the Maricopa County Attorney's Office said facts didn't support Moore's story and charged him with second-degree murder.

The case swirled with unanswered questions, as Moore was the only person to witness what truly happened.

More: https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/surprise/2019/11/07/legal-expert-weighs-ac-repairman-robert-moore-acquittal/2524689001/

[PeteS in CA]

Let's see:

* The guy who was killed had meth in his system;

* The guy who was killed was the guy who was going to pay for the repair;

* The repair guy probably had clothing damage and cuts/scrapes.

I realize that the prosecution had only the defendant's account plus physical evidence, but this is a case they should not have taken to trial without VERY powerful evidence that contradicted those circumstances. Basically, IMO, the DA probably decided they could use the serious charge to get a guilty plea to something lesser, thus padding their conviction rate.

To be blunt, were I the acquitted defendant I would leave for UT, NM, or TX. Maricopa County is no longer safe for him, and even another county in AZ might be risky. A shady DA like that cannot be trusted not to try to retaliate.