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Jury finds Camacho guilty in killing
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Posted on Mar 15 1999
The jury finds Jesse James Camacho guilty as charged Friday after more than five hours of deliberation and review of testimonies that ended the three-day trial.
Camacho is charged with one count of murder in the first degree and one count each of solicitation and conspiracy.
The Superior Court is scheduled to deliver his sentence on May 5.
Camacho’s lawyer G. Anthony Long, in his closing arguments, pointed out to the jury members that Antonio Sablan was stabbed 37 times by the convicted minor who accused his client as the one who ordered him to do it.
“He stabbed him 37 times despite the fact that he didn’t want to do it,” he said.
The convicted minor earlier told the court that he was ordered by Camacho to kill Sablan and threatened to harm him and his family if he refuses to obey.
Long told the jury that there was no record presented in court that his client threatened him. Neither there were evidences presented to support RED RUM gang related deaths.
“The story is untrue. That’s all it is, a story, a tale, a fabrication,” he said.
Likewise, there were no records presented in court of any hustling in the neighborhood of Camacho and Sablan before the death of the star athlete from Hopwood Junior High School, he said.
“A peaceful environment existed,” he added.
After the convicted minor ran away from home and stayed in the abandoned house near the Sablan’s, the sword was stolen and the gruesome murder took place.
Prosecutor’s lawyer Barry Hirshbein argued that the brother of Camacho was present in the murder scene to make sure that the order was being carried out.
Long is not certain if his client will file an appeal.
