HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Rudy Fegurgur Quinata is scheduled to go back to trial in mid-March after successfully appealing his convictions related to the death of former Humåtak Mayor Daniel Sanchez.
On Wednesday in the Superior Court of Guam, Quinata appeared before Judge Vernon Perez for a status hearing, which was Quinata’s first court appearance since the Supreme Court of Guam ordered Quinata would receive a new trial.
Last month, the Supreme Court determined that, although there was sufficient evidence to support Quinata’s murder convictions stemming from Sanchez’s April 2021 death, a new trial was necessary based on a “plausible claim of juror misconduct.”
As a result, the justices vacated Quinata’s conviction and ordered a new trial, since the claim of juror misconduct was not investigated following Quinata’s August 2022 trial.
At the hearing, Perez first requested and learned that Quinata’s trial attorney, Peter Santos from the Alternate Public Defender office, would remain on the case and Assistant Attorney General Sean Brown was the assigned prosecutor.
Subsequently, Perez said he was looking at having Quinata start his second trial in March, which Santos and Brown both said they would be available for.
“I am interested in providing, again, a fair venue for trial for Mr. Quinata. That’s always been the interest, and we will go ahead, (I) think middle of March or so,” said Perez, who later set a March 20 date for jury selection.
Perez scheduled Quinata’s next court hearing for Feb. 19 and a pretrial conference for Feb. 27.
Before the hearing ended, Santos informed Perez he was going to start negotiating with Brown, which may make trial unnecessary.
“I’ve already initiated communications with Mr. Brown regarding this matter, and I did ask him to consider other possibilities (of) resolving this other than trial. And so, aside from preparing for trial, we are going to start to negotiate and see what possible alternative resolutions could be fashioned,” Santos said before Perez responded he was open to a settlement if it is appropriate.
Sked
Quinata’s ex-girlfriend and co-defendant Joyner Sked also appeared before Perez for the first time since the Supreme Court issued its decision on her appeal of the murder charges.
However, the discussions regarding Sked’s proceedings differed since the high court affirmed Sked’s murder convictions but reversed the special allegation of using a deadly weapon, a pair of scissors, as there was “no direct testimony or DNA evidence” connecting Sked to the scissors.
Sked’s attorney Terrence Timblin stated he had not reviewed the Supreme Court’s opinion as of Wednesday morning and needs time to review it before suggesting how to proceed.
Brown said that since Sked’s murder conviction was upheld and carries a minimum of life imprisonment, Perez did not have much discretion in giving a new sentence. However, Brown said he would not object to having another sentencing hearing.
Perez agreed not much could be changed in Sked’s sentence and requested the parties return Feb. 23 to give Timblin more time to review the opinion.
Charges
Sked and Quinata were charged in April 2021 following the discovery of Sanchez’s dead body in Quinata’s Humåtak home. At the time, investigators believed Sanchez was stabbed 23 times with a pair of scissors and beaten in the head with a hammer.
Sked and Quinata were both found guilty in separate trials of murder as a first-degree felony, while Sked was also convicted of aggravated assault as a second-degree felony and two special allegations of use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
The pair were subsequently sentenced in August 2022 to life in prison. At the time of their sentencing, Sked was eligible for parole after serving 35 years and Quinata was eligible after 15 years.
Rudy Fegurgur Quinata on Monday, Aug. 15, 2022, at the Superior Court of Guam in Hagåtña.
