By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first in a series of stories regarding the murder trial of Clarissa Guerra who is accused of killing Sandra De La Cruz in 2021. The full slate of stories will be published in the order they were submitted. The trial, which began Tuesday, Jan. 17, continues this week.
An eight-woman, four-man jury was impaneled Tuesday to hear the murder trial of Clarissa Guerra.
Guerra, 25, is accused of murder and evidence tampering in the fatal shooting of Del Rioan Sandra De La Cruz. De La Cruz was found dead on a road inside the San Felipe Cemetery off Brodbent Avenue early on the morning of March 7, 2021. De La Cruz was 27 years old at the time of her death.
Jury selection in the Guerra trial began at 8:15 a.m. Tuesday in the second-floor courtroom of the historic Val Verde County Judicial Center downtown. About 100 local citizens responded to the jury summons.
District Attorney Suzanne West, who is presenting the state’s case against Guerra, and Del Rio attorney Michael J. Bagley, who is representing Guerra, conducted voir dire interviews of the prospective jurors throughout the morning.
Guerra, dressed completely in black, most of her face concealed behind a black mask, sat impassively beside Bagley at the defense table.
West was surrounded by members of her prosecution team, which included Val Verde Sheriff’s Office Lt. Gina Garcia, who heads the VVSO’s criminal investigations division and who is the lead investigator in the case, and Texas Ranger Joe Sanchez of Eagle Pass. West’s team also included one of her office’s investigators, Michelle Salinas; Debbie Garcia, victim’s assistance coordinator for the DA’s office; and Lizett D’Amico, DA’s office legal assistant and technical advisor.
Bagley spoke to prospective jurors in the afternoon, asking if any of them thought his client was guilty. When none raised their hands, he asked if any of those present knew his client or anyone else involved in the case, including himself, West, Garcia, Sanchez or other members of the prosecution team.
Bagley also asked how many of those present had read or heard about the case. He reviewed the legal doctrine of the presumption of innocence and went over a defendant’s right to remain silent, which includes her right not to testify.
Bagley also asked if any of the prospective jurors had close family members of friends in law enforcement.
In the end, Bagley said, the jurors selected would have to “apply the facts to the law.”
He urged anyone chosen to sit on the jury “to use your common sense, do what’s right, do what’s just.”
At 1:45 p.m. Tuesday, 83rd Judicial District Judge Robert E. Cadena, who is presiding over the trial, met with Bagley and West at the front of the courtroom. After the conference with the attorneys, the judge asked about 15 jurors stay in the courtroom to be interviewed individually, while the rest were excused until 2:30 p.m.
Just before 3 p.m., Cadena returned to the courtroom, and a final list of jurors was compiled and their numbers called out. The individuals selected then took their seats in the jury box.
Four men and eight women were initially picked, with one male and one female alternate also seated. Those alternates will sit in on the trial and step in if one of the 12 original jurors is dismissed.
Before releasing the citizens who were not selected for jury service, Cadena thanked them all, noting, “If people like you didn’t show up, justice in Val Verde County would come to a grinding halt.”
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