Jesus Gonzalez, WI Open Carry Activist, Sentenced to 20yrs in Shooting - Page 2

KyJim · November 24, 2011, 08:28 PM

I think it's a pretty risky strategy to assert a self-defense claim and not testify. I've seen a couple of cases where charged defendants tried this and were unsuccessful. I don't think it matters how many times a judge instructs the jury not to hold the defendant's silence against him in a self-defense case. The defendant has to justify the killing and the jury wants to hear from him or her.

Double Naught Spy · November 24, 2011, 09:18 PM

Quote:

I don't know if he's any good or not, but his lawyer was a gun-rights attorney from Georgia, not some public defender.

The docket shows Gonzalez's attorney to be Nelida Cortes, a U. of Wisconsin graduate who worked for for several years in the Public Defender's office in Milwaukee. It also looks like she is now a part of a private law firm, but I can't tell if that is in addition to her PD duties or not. According to the state bar, she has her own practice. http://www.wisbar.org/am/template.cf...cfm&id=1022815

I don't see where she is a guns rights attorney from Georgia.

**Tom Servo** · November 25, 2011, 07:33 AM

Quote:

I don't see where she is a guns rights attorney from Georgia.

You're right; I skimmed an article. The gun rights lawyer represented Gonzalez in his prior cases.

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November 24, 2011, 08:28 PM	#26
KyJim Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2005 Location: The Bluegrass Posts: 9,142	I think it's a pretty risky strategy to assert a self-defense claim and not testify. I've seen a couple of cases where charged defendants tried this and were unsuccessful. I don't think it matters how many times a judge instructs the jury not to hold the defendant's silence against him in a self-defense case. The defendant has to justify the killing and the jury wants to hear from him or her.