Opinion ID: 1470596
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Indictment and Trial

Text: [¶ 12] On December 6, 2005, Roberts was charged by indictment with one count of murder, 17-A M.R.S. § 201(1)(A), for the death of Mendoza. He pleaded not guilty on December 8, 2005, and a jury trial was held from February 6 to February 27, 2007. At trial, Roberts did not deny that he had shot Mendoza. His theory was that the killing was justified based on his belief that Mendoza came to his home, armed with a loaded weapon, to kidnap their daughter or to kill him and the daughter. [¶ 13] At trial, the State presented abundant evidence regarding the history of Roberts and Mendoza's relationship and the events leading to Mendoza's death. The State also presented evidence that Mendoza had a loving relationship with the daughter such that Roberts could not have thought Mendoza actually intended to harm their daughter on August 15. Finally, the State sought to establish, through lay and expert witness testimony, that Mendoza had not been armed with Roberts's gun when she arrived at Roberts's home that morning and Roberts could not have believed that Mendoza posed a threat to his or their daughter's life. [¶ 14] Roberts's theory of the case was that he shot Mendoza in defense of his own life and his daughter's life, or to prevent Mendoza from kidnapping the daughter. To support this theory, Roberts called several witnesses to testify to Mendoza's past acts of violence and anger toward Roberts and toward women who Mendoza believed Roberts was romantically involved with, all for the purpose of showing Roberts's state of mind at the time of the shooting. In addition, Roberts called witnesses to testify that Mendoza had told them of her plans to take the daughter to California or to hide with her in Kentucky. Roberts also sought to establish that Mendoza had stolen a loaded gun from his home during her weekend visit with the daughter and that she had this gun with her when she arrived at his home on August 15. [¶ 15] At the close of all the evidence, counsel for both sides gave closing arguments. Roberts's closing focused on the theory that Mendoza came to Roberts's home with a loaded gun either to kill Roberts and the daughter or to kidnap the daughter. In its rebuttal argument, the State argued that the kidnapping theory was a new story developed by the defense for trial. Specifically, the State pointed to the fact that Roberts had consistently maintained, in his 911 call, his interview with police, and at a subsequent child protective hearingall of which the jury heard at trialthat Mendoza had stated that she was going to kill him and the daughter, but he never stated that he thought Mendoza was going to kidnap the daughter.