Illegal immigrant’s convictions upheld A Maryland appeals court has upheld the conviction of an illegal immigrant charged with killing a 63-year-old Bethesda woman and hogtying and robbing three others.
The Court of Special Appeals affirmed the rulings of a Montgomery County Circuit Court judge during Jose Garcia-Perlera’s May 2009 trial. A jury convicted Garcia-Perlera of attacking elderly women in their homes in Bethesda, Potomac and Chevy Chase. One, Mary Havenstein, was beaten to death.
On appeal, Garcia-Perlera argued that the cases should have been tried separately, some evidence seized from his home should have been suppressed, and several charges should have been merged for sentencing purposes.
Guandique seeks new trial
The man convicted of killing D.C. intern Chandra Levy is seeking a new trial.
Lawyers for Ingmar Guandique have filed a motion for a new trial based on juror misconduct and an improper closing argument by prosecutors. The motion says jurors shared notes during deliberations and prosecutors’ closing arguments appealed to emotions, not evidence.
A jury convicted Guandique in November. Levy disappeared in May 2001, and her remains were found in Rock Creek Park a year later. Guandique is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 11.
Emily Babay
