Quichocho said he and lead counsel Michael Dotts reviewed the evidence against Hocog from the very beginning.
“I knew that he did not commit any crime so it was not a surprise when he was found not guilty,” Quichocho said. “To be honest, we didn’t know what the jury’s verdict would be but we are very happy with their decision.”
“Dr. Hocog can move on now, and I hope this case doesn’t happen to another person,” Quichocho said.
He added that it will be up to Public Health Secretary Joseph Kevin Villagomez to decide if Hocog can again work for the Commonwealth Health Center.
“I thank God, my legal team, the jury, the federal court staff, U.S. District Court for NMI Chief Judge Alex R. Munson, Hocog’s family and friends and everybody who showed professionalism throughout the trial,” Hocog said.
Allan Lifoifoi, one of the jurors, told the Variety that the verdict was “not an easy decision.”
“We had to review all the evidence before coming up with the verdict,” he added.
Hocog’s trial started on Monday last week, and the jurors started deliberating on Thursday morning.
The indictment stated that Hocog dispensed and distributed a controlled substance —oxycodone hydrochloride and meperidine, ommonly known as Demerol — from Sept. 4 to Nov. 30, 2007 despite a restriction on his Drug Enforcement Administration controlled substance registration certificate and his CNMI license to practice medicine.
