HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — A judge expressed concern about a plea deal for a man charged with murder in connection to a 2021 stabbing.
On Monday morning, John Richard Bass III appeared in the Superior Court of Guam with the expectation to plead guilty to his involvement in a 2021 stabbing that left Virginia Rose Peredo Laguana dead at the Mai’Ana Airport Plaza in Tamuning.
However, Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena III would not accept the plea at the hearing after expressing concern and posing questions to the attorneys present.
In particular, Lamorena asked if the victim and her family were aware of the agreement, which would “downgrade” Bass’ charge of murder to manslaughter.
Prosecutor Gloria Rudolph said the victims were aware, and Bass’ attorney, Tyler Scott, explained the reason for the lesser charge.
“It was my understanding that the victim’s family was not wanting to proceed to trial,” said Scott. Rudolph confirmed there was reservation by the victims about going to trial.
Additionally, Lamorena questioned why Bass would receive a suspended sentence.
Although Scott and Rudolph responded, they were not the two attorneys assigned to the case.
Rudolph said the assigned prosecutor was Christine Tenorio and Scott said the assigned defense attorney was Peter Santos. However, both Santos and Tenorio were in trial for another case at the time of the hearing.
As a result, with Lamorena still wanting to know more about the plea from Santos and Tenorio, the judge decided to reschedule Bass’ change of plea hearing until the attorneys were available.
“I’m kind of not comfortable, … based on the facts that I’ve read so far,” said Lamorena, who scheduled Bass to return to court Nov. 13 at 10 a.m.
Stabbing
Following the stabbing death of Laguana on June 6, 2021, Bass was charged with murder as a first-degree felony and two counts of aggravated assault as a second-degree felony, both included special allegations of use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a felony.
Court documents state Laguana was stabbed more than a dozen times at the Mai’Ana Airport Plaza in Tamuning, where officers with the Guam Police Department arrived to find Laguana drenched in blood as her 19-year-old daughter cradled Laguana in her arms. Laguana’s daughter was also stabbed while trying to defend her mother but survived.
The charge of manslaughter as a first-degree felony is defined by Guam law as a homicide that is committed recklessly under the influence of “extreme mental or emotional disturbance” or when it is done while under the influence of a Schedule II controlled substance.
John Richard Bass III
