Riverside County Death Penalty Murder Trial Begins

Riverside County jurors have begun hearing testimony in a death penalty murder case that spans over two decades. Terry Cheek, aged 32, was allegedly strangled to death in April 1998, while leaving her home in Jurupa Valley for the night shift at work in San Juan Capistrano. Her body was later found placed on rocks at Lee Lake near Corona. This case has seen multiple trials, wrongful convictions and acquittals of suspects, and has kept the interest of the legal community over the years.

List of Accused

Jurors will have to sort through testimony from a murderer, a man convicted of accessory, and the girlfriend of one of the accused. The defendants in the case are Joaquin Leal III, who is the man convicted of the accessory, and Googie Rene Harris Sr. Both have pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges. The prosecution led by District Attorney Mike Hestrin will be trying to make a case for the death penalty if the men are convicted as charged.

Estranged Relationships

At the time of her death, Cheek was estranged from her husband, Googie Harris Sr., and had moved in with her co-worker, Horace Roberts. Roberts was convicted of second-degree murder in 1999 after three trials, two of which resulted in hung juries. He was imprisoned for over 20 years before he was found innocent of the crime and paid $11 million by the Riverside County. The prosecutor alleges that Harris Sr. was unhappy with the relationship and, therefore, framed Roberts, even appearing at his parole hearings to keep him incarcerated.

Wildly Differing Accounts

One of the challenges that jurors will face is that of choosing between wildly differing accounts of the last moments of Cheek’s life. Harris Sr.’s defense team believes that the murderer is someone else entirely and has suggested that prosecutors might have had the right man in Roberts all along. At the end of this case, the jury will be left with several questions that they will have to answer satisfactorily.

Murder for Financial Gain

Hestrin has also alleged a special circumstance of murder for financial gain, which makes the defendants eligible for capital punishment. The prosecution’s case rests on the fact that Cheek was in a relationship with Roberts and was living in his apartment. Harris Sr. was determined to end the affair, and on the night of the murder, Harris Sr and Leal allegedly strangled Cheek and dumped her body in Robert’s truck. Her purse was later found in Robert’s apartment.

Witness Statements

During the trial, the prosecution has called several witnesses to the stand, including Cheek’s daughter and a convicted murderer, Anthony Salcedo. Cheek’s daughter identified the distinctive black purse that her mother had with her on the night of her death, which was later found in Roberts’ home several days later. Salcedo, who had spent time in prison with Harris Sr., claims that Harris Sr. had told him that it was Harris Jr. and not Leal, who had killed Cheek.

Defense Motions

On the other hand, Harris Sr.’s defense team has suggested that Leal was responsible only for helping dump Cheek’s body and had no motive to kill. Additionally, they have suggested that Roberts’ truck was never brought to the Jurupa Valley home, and Cheek drove away in her white Volkswagen safely.

The Trial Continues

This case is an all-time classic whodunit, and the jury will have to sort through the facts carefully before rendering a verdict. The testimony is ongoing, and John Dorr, co-attorney for Harris Sr., has given opening statements describing the case as a classic whodunit. Harris Sr.’s and Leal’s fate will be determined once the evidence is presented in its entirety and a verdict is rendered.

Originally Post From https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2024/07/17/classic-whodunit-riverside-county-murder-trial-underway-for-2-accused-of-framing-innocent-man/

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