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Judge orders King’s co-counsels to attend Crisostomo murder trial
Superior Court Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho has ordered one of attorney Janet H. King’s two co-counsels from Guam to attend the upcoming jury trial of Joseph A. Crisostomo, who faces charges for the murder of bartender Emerita Romero.
In an order on Wednesday, Camacho said that one of King’s co-appointed counsels—Jeffrey Moots and F. Randall Cunliffe—must be present with King from jury selection to closing arguments to assure that Crisostomo will have effective assistance of counsel at the April 7 trial.
The judge said that Moots and Cunliffe may take turns attending the proceedings; however, one of the more-experienced attorneys is to be present at all times.
King earlier asked the court to appoint the two Guam lawyers as her co-counsel, as she lacks experience in trying criminal cases.
Moots used to serve as chief prosecutor for the CNMI Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division. Cunliffe has tried several felony criminal cases, including homicides, in the CNMI, Guam, and Palau.
In his order, Camacho said that parties in the case raised the concern during a pretrial conference last Friday that Moots and Cunliffe intend not to attend the trial.
Camacho said he appointed the co-counsels following a hearing on April 10, 2013, during which Moots appeared telephonically and represented that he and Cunliffe were willing, and felt that it was important, to assist King in the representation of Crisostomo due to the defendant’s right to effective assistance of counsel, and King’s lack of prior experience as lead counsel on any homicide case.
Camacho said Moots stated that it was their intention, if necessary, to appear before the court as defendant’s counsel.
The OAG charged the 40-year-old Crisostomo with first-degree murder, kidnapping, sexual assault in the first degree, robbery, theft, assault and battery, and disturbing the peace.
Romero reportedly got into a car that she mistook for a taxicab near her house in Garapan on Feb. 5, 2012. Two days later, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents found her body at the former La Fiesta Mall in San Roque/As Matuis.
