Lawyer for suspect in Rialto officer's killing challenges judge's order
The lawyer for a man charged with the deadly shooting of a Rialto SWAT officer is challenging a judge's holding order.
George Wright, who represents Kris Antonio Wiggins, filed a motion to challenge a May 29 ruling from Judge Ingrid Uhler to hold over Wiggins for trial.
Wiggins, 33, appeared briefly Friday in Fontana Superior Court.
George Wright, who represents Kris Antonio Wiggins, filed a motion to challenge a May 29 ruling from Judge Ingrid Uhler to hold over Wiggins for trial.
Wiggins, 33, appeared briefly Friday in Fontana Superior Court.
Wright, a deputy public defender, is challenging Uhler's ruling, which
prohibited the defense from calling a police officer to testify as a
defense witness at a May 29 preliminary hearing.
"It was the judge's opinion that the witness was going to testify to something that wasn't relevant and was hearsay," Wright said today in a telephone interview. Wright was not Wiggins' lawyer at the preliminary hearing.
Deputy District Attorney Cary Epstein confirmed the challenge to Uhler's holding order. The motion will be addressed Nov. 14, when Wiggins returns to court.
Prosecutors have charged Wiggins with murder, claiming that he fired a SWAT officer's rifle while struggling with that officer during a narcotics raid Oct. 18, 2007, at Wiggins' West Cascade Drive apartment.
SWAT Officer Sergio Carrera Jr., a 29-year-old father of two from Beaumont, was struck and killed.
Wiggins has denied the charges. The defense has questioned in court the SWAT team's tactics, suggesting another officer's hands were on the rifle and alleged the shooting might have been "friendly fire."
Dates were also set Friday for a trial readiness hearing Dec. 5 and for the trial to begin Dec. 8.
mike.cruz@inlandnewspapers.com
"It was the judge's opinion that the witness was going to testify to something that wasn't relevant and was hearsay," Wright said today in a telephone interview. Wright was not Wiggins' lawyer at the preliminary hearing.
Deputy District Attorney Cary Epstein confirmed the challenge to Uhler's holding order. The motion will be addressed Nov. 14, when Wiggins returns to court.
Prosecutors have charged Wiggins with murder, claiming that he fired a SWAT officer's rifle while struggling with that officer during a narcotics raid Oct. 18, 2007, at Wiggins' West Cascade Drive apartment.
SWAT Officer Sergio Carrera Jr., a 29-year-old father of two from Beaumont, was struck and killed.
Wiggins has denied the charges. The defense has questioned in court the SWAT team's tactics, suggesting another officer's hands were on the rifle and alleged the shooting might have been "friendly fire."
Dates were also set Friday for a trial readiness hearing Dec. 5 and for the trial to begin Dec. 8.
mike.cruz@inlandnewspapers.com
RIP Brother. This skum bag will get his in the end. Your legend lives on in the Dept., your family and friends. Your loved by many and missed by all. Its been a year since you were taken from us on the unforgetable day. We havent forgotten about you, nor will we ever forget about you. You took the ultimate sacriface and paid dearly for your willingness to protect and serve the city of Rialto. You will be missed greatly.
Rest In Peace Officer S. Carrera.
Correctional Officer K. Thaxton
RJD Correctional Faciltiy
San Diego, Ca
You don't even know the suspect so how can you refer to someone as a scumbag? Why because he's black? I'm in LE as well and he was killed by friendly fire. There was no wrestling match, they served a warrant and he was killed by one of his own. That pisses me off about police work, why not come out and be honest about the mistake made instead of trying to hang an innocent man. Maybe he was selling drugs, but he had no weapon and Rialto Swat killed their own.