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Killer of Sikh Man Moves Closer to Death Penalty
10/03/2003
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/1003deathpenalty-CP.html
Killer of Sikh man moves closer to death penalty
Oct. 3, 2003 12:00 AM
The killer of a Sikh gasoline station owner who was murdered four days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks moved a step closer Thursday to the death penalty.
Jurors in Maricopa County Superior Court in Mesa decided that Frank Roque, 44, placed landscaper Luis Ledesma in "substantial likelihood" of serious injury or death when he shot Balbir Singh Sodhi, 49, to death on Sept. 15, 2001, in Mesa.
Ledesma was kneeling, showing Singh Sodhi a broken irrigation line, at the time of the shooting. Jurors considered that an aggravating factor, which makes Roque eligible for the death penalty. Roque fired six shots from his truck, hitting Singh Sodhi five times. Ledesma testified he heard bullets whiz past him.
"Mr. Ledesma was within the target of Mr. Sodhi. Any one of these bullets could have struck and killed him. It's as simple as that," Deputy Maricopa County Attorney Vince Imbordino said.
Jurors return Tuesday for the final stage of Roque's trial and will decide if there are any "mitigating factors" to spare Roque's life. Defense attorneys are expected to argue that Roque is mentally ill and should not be executed. Jurors already rejected a guilty-but-insane defense.
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