Trial: Armed Robbery

I'm not one who goes out drinking and clubbing in the middle of the night. My life as a student journalist and holding down a job along with an internship keeps me extremely busy. Sometimes I envy those who have time to go and have fun, other times I don't.

I entered court room 51A as the court was coming back from its first recess. Judge William Fuente had not yet made it back to the bench. The jury was being escorted into the court room just as I took my seat in the front pew on the state attorney’s side. Four Bailiffs were scattered around the court room and the stenographer sat ready to begin. As Judge Fuente entered the court room all were told to rise. Prosecutor Justin Diaz called his first witness to the stand. The gentleman stood about 5’11 and wore his long brown hair in neat braids. After being sworn in he took his seat on the witness stand.

Kenneth J Chester had a night out that I'm sure will stay with him for a life time. According to Chester's testimony he and his friend Jethro Green were out at the Alibi Strip club on Dale Mabry when a Hispanic male approached them stating that someone wanted to talk to them outside. Chester, a well dress Hispanic male, was buying drinks for his friends as he sported his $7,000 gold chain with diamond pendant, $5,000 Rolex, and 1.4 karat diamond earrings. As an upcoming musician Chester felt the need to protect his image. So he walked outside at the request of the unknown person to address any problem another person may have with him. Chester's friend Green trailed behind him and as the rounded the corner to the side of the strip club, I wasn't surprised when Chester explained what happened next. He and his friend Greene were held at gun point and the unknown man who requested their presence outside was the man to pull out the gun. When asked by Diaz, why he went outside at the request of someone he didn’t know, Chester simply answered, “to settle the problem.” According to Chester’s testimony, after the gun was pulled he was able to run and try to get help as he heard the gun go off. Jethro Greene was shot and taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Chester testified that the man who asked to them to leave the club and eventually pulled the gun on him and his friend as the defendant, Roberto Ramos. To give a clear distinction of who Chester spoke about prosecution asked him to describe the man’s clothing as he sat in the court room. Ramos was represented by two defense attorneys who didn’t ask a lot of different questions. In fact the defense attorney spent about 30 minutes asking Chester the same questions in a different way in hopes, I’m assuming, his answer would change. When prosecution finished they called two more witnesses to the stand; Officer William Wilson and Officer Darla Portman who both testified to finding a shell casing.

I watched the faces of jury members. I tried to read their expressions to see if any of them believe the defense. I couldn’t figure out what angle the defense was actually taking. The attorney asked several times if another man had been hanging out with Chester and the victim. Chester repeatedly told her it was just the two of them. After three and a half hours the court went into the recess for lunch. I wish I could have stayed to hear Prosecutions last witness or even to see if the defense would even call a witness. Hopefully, I’ll be able to follow up with the case after the jury reaches a verdict.