Apr 6, 2015

"Sexual orientation is a key issue, this is how all this started"; homophobia and views on LGBT community important in Ferrer jury trial

The case for the stabbing of Arcata Chef Douglas Anderson-Jordet is expected to take approximately 8 weeks including Jury selection.

Jury selection, motions in limine will take up this week and jury selection is expected to continue into next week.

Ferrer's attorney, Mr. Marek Reavis strongly advocated for questions on the jury questionaaire today to include opinions on LGBT community. Other questions discussed both by Mr. Reavis and DDA Roger Rees, who is prosecuting the case included people's personal experiences and fellings about alcohol and drugs, if they had ever lost a loved one to an act of violence.

Initially, DDA Roger Rees did not want Ferrer to be identified by his sexual orientation and just have general opinions on the subject. Mr. Rees said he did not want a particular person identified.

Judge Feeney cited Cal Crim Code 200 and that language was used to draft questions to ask potential jurors about their views on sexual orientation and the LGBT community.

"Mr. Ferrer's sexuality does play a strong role" in this case, said Mr. Reavis. "Mr. Jordet accosted Mr. Ferrer and his companions because he found their visual appearance offensive."

Mr. Reavis was very firm about his client who identifies as bisexual and is a member of the LGBT community and lives in Arcata be identified as such. Citing views on the LGBT community and hate crimes against the LGBT community and that the community and issues relating to the community are a part of the national debate, particularly now, Mr. Reavis said that "despite strides" sexual orientation is key in this case and that the LGBT id often a target of violence and discrimination . The defense has claimed that the victim hurled angry, homophobic slurs and started the confrontation that ultimately led to Juan Ferrer being fearful and stabbing Anderson-Jordet.

"Two parties in this case--one is gay and one hated gays," said Mr. Reavis. "I don't think we need to step around this issue. if the sexual orientation is not brought out, they may agree with Mr. Jordet's opinion"

Today, most of the time was spent finalizing jury questionnaires. Judge Feeney will review a dvd and an audio recording of two interviews Ferrer had with law enforcement tomorrow morning and decide what the jury will see. Mr. Reavis asked that portions of those transcripts be redacted.

"While Counsel is correct about evidence code 1220, that any statement made by the defendant can be used against him," said Mr. Reavis, he told Judge Feeney that in the first interview, the detectives had already interviewed the other two companions walking with Mr. Ferrer that night. Nicholas Stoiber and Sophie Rocheleau were also originally co-defendants in this case, they plead out. Mr. Reavis said that instead of asking Ferre questions in the first interview, the detectives had formed a theory and were basically trying to get information from Ferrer to get a confession and confirm their theory.

Defense admits in first interview Ferrer denied everything but in the second interview, he contacted law enforcement and tells them what happened. Mr. Reavis also wants some portions of the recordings redacted.

Mr. Rees said that if statements by detectives were redacted, then Ferrer's responses would not be in the full context.

Due to Judge Feeney's schedule and a pre-planned conference, this case will not be in court on April 30, May 1, May 4 and May 5. Two members of the Jordet family that have not been able to be contacted by the defense or the People will not be on the witness list. 46 potential witnesses are on the list.

1 comment:

  1. Hello, my name is Ben Dale. I was a very close friend of Douglas Anderson-Jordet. I remain extremely saddened and disturbed by how his character continues to be misrepresented by the defense. The truth is that Doug was a LGBT friendly man (many of our friends are gay!) who was beaten and killed by three intoxicated people.

    Redacting statements, as Defense Attorney Marek Reavis has proposed, would compromise the jury’s understanding of what happened the night of Doug’s death and the days that followed. What the statements made by Nicholas Stoiber, Sophie Rocheleau, and Juan Ferrer reveal is this: lies, contradicting accounts and inconsistencies.

    Mr. Reavis is an attorney whose profession is to “spin” circumstances to portray his clients in the most favorable light in order to win cases. He has cleverly (and unfairly) chosen to paint Doug as a person who "hated gays." This slander is a last desperate attempt to justify his client, Juan Ferrer’s lethal role in an altercation that was ultimately three against one. The defense has accused Doug of using inflammatory language, however the fact remains-- the response was violent and disproportionate.

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