Counsels in racketeering lawsuit vs. Quichochos hold closing arguments

The counsels in businesswoman Jung Ja Kim’s racketeering lawsuit against lawyer Ramon K. Quichocho and his wife Frances, Quichocho’s law firm, and their company Karissa LLC held yesterday their closing arguments.
When Saipan Tribune left the courtroom yesterday late afternoon, U.S. District Court for the NMI Chief Judge Ramona V. Manglona conducted the jury instructions.

The nine jurors, including an alternate, are going to start their deliberations today, Thursday.

Attorney Robert T. Torres, counsel for Kim, in his closing argument said it is not about the rape, as it is about the theft, the taking, the stealing, and the swindling.

Torres asked the jurors to hold the Quichochos, the Quichocho law firm, and Karissa LLC liable to pay $2.2 million in damages for the harm that they did to Kim.

Attorney Michael Dotts, counsel for the Quichochos and co-defendants, in his closing argument said it is not a complicated case as the facts showed that Kim has no credibility as she has lied about being raped by Ramon Quichocho.

Dotts said Kim started all the trouble as she was after Frances and was poisoning the mind of Frances. He asked the jurors to rule on their favor and award his clients attorney’s fees for legal services plus damages.

Torres said Kim told MD. Delowar, former supervisor of Kim’s Latte Stone Poker on Rota, that she made a mistake because she trusted the Quichochos and placed the company’s name under Frances’ name.

Torres told the jury that they heard from the defendants that this case is about family relationship.

“I’m sorry, excuse me. It’s about the rules. It’s about special relationship,” Torres said, adding that it’s about trust relationship between a lawyer, Ramon Quichocho, and his client, Kim.

Torres said the Quichochos not only took Kim’s two companies, but they also failed to pay Kim their rental of their apartment unit and law office.

“This is also about fraud and deception. This is about a breach of duty of a lawyer to his client,” he said.

Torres said the case is about righting the wrong.

Torres said the Quichochos broke the trust, they shattered Kim’s trust.

Torres said Kim invested $168,000 in Tan Dingo LLC.

He said the Quichochos took Kim’s businesses—Tan Dingo and Latte Stone.

Torres said Ramon Quichocho as Kim’s lawyer should protect her and her businesses interests.

Torres told the jury that they witnessed how Frances lied on the witness stand on many things.

The lawyer said Frances kept on answering “I don’t know, I don’t remember” to many questions.

Torres said Frances can’t even remember the source of the $40,000 deposited into her and Ramon Quichocho’s account.

Torres said Frances admits that she lies in the chats with Kim.

Torres said Frances lied that Kim was pursuing her.

“Where is the email from Kim to Frances that she loves her?”

Torres said Frances even blamed Kim and her accountant for Latte Stone’s underreporting of tax return.

Torres said as soon as the Quichochos made a “reconciliation” trip in the Philippines in February 2009, Ramon Quichocho started sending chat messages to Kim that he loves her and misses her.

Torres said when they asked Frances on the stand if at that time she was still pretending as her husband in the chat, but Frances replied, “I don’t know.”

Dotts in his closing argument said right after Ramon Quichocho allegedly raped Kim on Nov. 2, 2008, Kim sent a message of “sweet dreams” to the man who raped her.

Dotts also pointed out that right after Ramon Quichocho allegedly raped Kim on Dec. 10, 2008, next to the Quichocho’s daughter, Kim went with Ramon Quichocho to Godfather’s Bar then later they had sex.

Dotts said Kim blamed her depression for mixing up the dates in her allegations of rape and sex with Ramon Quichocho.

“It’s not complicated. Miss Kim lied about being raped,” he said.

“You can’t rely on her. You cannot believe her.”

Dotts said Ramon Quichocho performed substantial legal work for Kim and her businesses and that Kim has not paid the legal fees in the amount of $48,221.67 covering October 2008 to February 2009.

Dotts said their highly qualified expert, Guam attorney Jacqueline T. Terlaje, stated that Ramon Quichocho did not violate any rules in the Model Rules of Professional Conduct.

Dotts said if Frances owns Latte Stone it does not matter if she’s paying her houseworker and donations and gifts to other people out of the company’s account.