Another homicide and another win for DDA Roger Rees, closing arguments this morning, verdict back already

Closing arguments took place in the Jason Armstrong jury trial this morning.

And later today, the jury came back with a verdict. With Juan Ferrer, Benjamin Carter, Mark Nero, this is the fourth win for DDA Roger Rees in the last few months, and this is just homicides.

DA Press Release:

On December 8, 2015, in the case of the People of the State of California v. Jason Armstrong, the jury found the defendant guilty of second degree murder for the killing of Daneyal Siddique. The jury also found true the special allegation that the defendant intentionally discharged a firearm causing the death of Mr. Siddique.
Around midnight on October 21, 2014 at Dean Creek Resort in Redway, the defendant, who was forty years old at the time, and Mr. Siddique got into an argument which, according to witnesses was eventually settled between them. A short time later, the defendant went to Mr. Siddique’s room and brandished a firearm while yelling at Mr. Siddique. Mr. Siddique reached for the firearm and unsuccessfully attempted to wrest it from the defendant’s hand. The defendant maintained control of the firearm, stepped back, and shot Mr. Siddique once in the abdomen, killing him. The defendant remained at the scene and turned himself in to the first responding officers, Deputies Jager and Waxler from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department. The defendant testified he had moved here from Odessa, Texas six days prior to the murder.  Other than seeing each other around the Resort for a few days, Mr. Siddique and the defendant were not previously acquainted. The defendant has been in custody since the incident.                                            
Deputy District Attorney Roger C. Rees prosecuted the case with assistance from District Attorney Investigator Jack Bernstein, Chief Investigator Wayne Cox, and Victim/Witness Advocate Marybeth Bian. The defendant was represented at trial by the Public Defender, Kevin Robinson. Judge John T. Feeney presided over the week-long trial. Detective Cheryl Franco, Deputy Hilary Havens, Deputy Luke Mathieson, and Corporal Joseph Jager, all with the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Department, testified at trial, along with two civilian witnesses who were present at or near the time of the shooting.
Sentencing is scheduled for January 5, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. The maximum sentence for second degree murder with the firearm-related special allegation is 40 years to life in state prison.

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