3/12/09

Angie Zapata Trial : Andrade's Murder Confession Thrown Out


March 12, 2009 by k.a. Busey

Weld District court Judge Marcelo Kopcow has ruled that defendant statements made after 39 minutes of questioning while be dissallowed after Andrade told Greeley detective Greg Tharp ‘I’m done. Yeah, I’m not talking right now’ [that] "... is a clear statement of the defendant’s request to remain silent and cut off further questioning.."

Also disallowed is evidence possibly increasing the severity of sentencing due to Andrade's alleged gang membership in which sexual activities outside of the heteronormative is punishable by beatdown, expulsion and even death making killing of Zapata seem as imperative to Andrade.

What is not known is the content of the confession prior to the 39 minute point.

According to the comprehensive article by the Greeley Tribune the evidence that will be allowed at the trial scheduled to begin on April 14;

"Statements to police admitting to stealing Zapata’s car.
Recorded phone calls Andrade made from jail to his girlfriend.
Evidence from a friend saying Zapata looked convincingly like a woman.
Evidence and photos from Andrade’s cell phone (though some pictures are out). The cell phone notes 670 separate communications between Andrade and Zapata between July 1-16, 2008."

Related articles on the web;

Greeley Tribune by Sharon Dunn "Andrade's murder confession thrown out"

bird of paradox "Judge to rule on confession in Angie Zapata killing"

planetransgender Jan 01,09 "Angie Zapata's Life and Death : changed how we are treated"

planetransgender Sept. 19,08 "Angie Zapata's accused killer to be tried for for 1st degree murder"

3/11/09

Urge Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia to Support a National Hate Crimes Bill

Contact Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and urge him to support the Mathew Shepard Hate Crime Legislation.

The below correspondence was received in response to a request made to Sen. Chambliss that he support national hate crimes legislation.

"Thank you for contacting me regarding your thoughts on hate crime legislation. I appreciate hearing your concerns on this matter."

"There is little evidence that indicates that violent crimes motivated by "hate" go unpunished in the United States. Most states already have criminal laws that prohibit the anti-social behavior addressed by hate crime legislation - including laws against murder, rape, arson, assault, and battery."

"I oppose the creation of Federal hate crime legislation for a variety of reasons. First, I do not believe the Federal government should interfere with the criminal laws already on the books in our states. Second, many hate crime bills attempt to establish a "protected class" of crime victims who would receive special protection under the law. And finally, we already have laws to prosecute individuals who commit violent crimes. Those people guilty of violent crimes against anyone should be prosecuted under existing law."

Some back ground information

A sample Letter

I hope you will support a Senate hate crimes bill.
The LGBT community has long unjustly suffered from violent crime targeted directly against Transgender, Bisexual, Queer, Gay and Lesbian people, law enforcements inability to identify hate crimes against LGBT people and the judicial systems inability to enforce harsher sentencing for hate crimes against LGBT people.

Sen Sen. Chambliss contact page