From: Jose M.
I accepted an attorney to appease Mr. Bownes.
How noble.
After several short meetings I requested (on the record) and was denied immunity from prosecution.
No surprise here. Since his testimony isn't essential, why should he be given immunity. I thought Jose didn't "fear what they can do to me legally?" - so why do you need immunity?
Eventually, one of the prosecuting attorneys gave my lawyer a print-out of the Alice Echo News-Journal in which I was quoted as saying "We recommended putting up plywood…" explaining that they said that was enough to "convict" me.
If that article wasn't enough then certainly your testimony at this trial would do it.
I informed my attorney that I do not respond well to threats and insisted all the more on testifying.
Ironic then that you didn't testify.
I explained that I had already experienced what the Marshals were capable of doing to me outside of the law; why should I fear what they can do to me legally?
So, again, why do you need immunity?
Finally, when I was about to testify, Cirino took the stand (probably to prevent ME from doing so).
Unlikely that this was the sequence of events.
At this point, my attorney convinced me that my testimony may only make matters worse for Cirino and the others.
So you CAN listen to reason.
I agreed to plead the 5th ONLY if he stated FOR the record that I was doing so "Under duress."
"Under duress" - what significance is that?
The news papers did not reflect this fact and it is gravely important for people to understand that my testimony WILL be considered "new evidence" supporting an appeal (if needed).
You may be in for a surprise awakening.
On a side note; Cirino made that cross-examination prosecutor his bitch (pardon my passion).
Is that something he learned in jail?