Apr 27, 2015

"When this is presented to 12 people who have to make a decision about you, don't you want them to see your side?"; "You are insulting the intelligence of people who will make the decision..."

Today's testimony in the Juan Ferrer case started with an hour long video, which was the first interview Ferrer had with APD Sgts. Chris Ortega and Ron Sligh after his arrest.

The People recalled APD Acting Sgt. Chris Ortega to the stand. The People's next witness was Correctional Deputy Scott Harris who testified to "spontaneous statements" made by Ferrer at St. Joseph's hospital where he gave a different version of his initial remarks to APD. DA investigator Jack Bernstein, the last witness from the People, briefly testified on the stand about a jail conversation between Ferrer and his brother which was about Ferrer's first interview with law enforcement.

At 11:39 today, the People, rested their case and Juan Ferrer took the stand. He denied some of Deputy Scott Harris' testimony on the stand and the explaination he gave for requesting to talk to Acting Sgt. Ortega at the hospital and changing his initial remarks was that he felt more comfortable with Ortega than he did with APD Sgt. Sligh who was present at the first interview.

The People called 9 witnesses out of 46 potential witnesses.

The video in which Sgts Ortega and Sligh talk to started out with them telling Ferrer, "We talked to Sophie, we talked to Nick, we talked to grandma, we have cell phone records, search warrants."

They tell Ferrer, "we are investigating a stabbing" and say they want to give him an opportunity to tell them his version of what happened. They read him his Miranda rights. With longer hair, sipping from a water bottle, Ferrer listened to the Sgts Ortega and Sligh. Denied any involvement and said he had no idea what they were talking about.

The denial and saying he had no idea will occur at least half a dozen times over the course of that interview. I am not posting the entire interview but highlights of the interview in which law enforcement tries to get Ferrer to tell them his version. Despite evidence and statements, Ferrer is unfazed and categorically gives denials.

"If you tell us, you did it" and again ask him for his version. He denies any involvement. They tell him they have evidence and a witness.

"The guy was yelling stuff he shouldn't have been yelling," responds Ferrer. "

Sgt. Ortega: "From what you are telling us, things got out of control." They show him still photos of the video where Sophie, Nick and he are walking on H street and Douglas Anderson is on the other side.

They tell Ferrer that his friends, Nick and Sophie are booked in Humboldt County Jal for murder and that "we got two people saying yeah we kicked and punched him but they didn't realize you had a knife."

They specifically ask him "if it was a self-defense action."

"I don't know what you are talking about," says Ferrer. When they mention his two friends again and that they will be held responsible for something he did, Ferrer responds, "That's unfortunate."

They remind him of all the evidence they have and again ask for his side of the altercation. "I did nothing," says Ferrer. The sergeants tell him what stand your ground is and his right to defend himself, Ferrer responds, "Yeah I know I do; but I wasn't attacked."

Acting Sgt. Ortega, "When this is presented to 12 people, who have to make a decision about you,"
he continues, by asking Ferrer "Doesn't he want them to see his side? You are insulting the intelligence of people who will make a decision in this case with overwhelming evidence against you."

Ferrer asks them if they have a video of the stabbing and says, "I'm under arrest because you need to pin this on someone."


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