Who is charged with conspiracy to commit murder in the case against Andrew Kissel?”
The murder trial of Connecticut real estate mogul Andrew Kissel was delayed today after an announcement that prosecutors were discussing a plea bargain with one of the co-accused killers. There is speculation that the gruesome crime scene photos may have played a role in the last minute change of heart of the primary defendant Leonard Trujillo, 22. Leonard Trujillo is charged with both capital murder and first degree murder; the capital charge carries a death sentence. The delayed trial was that of Leonard Trujillo’s cousin, Carlos Trujillo, who is charged with a lesser count of conspiracy to commit murder. There is concern by defense counsel that Carlos Trujillo may be implicated of playing in a more serious role crime in the crime if Leonard enters into a plea bargain. Andrew Kissel was found shot to death in his backyard a few days before he was set to plead guilty to corruption and testify for prosecutors. Kissel’s murder has been linked to a massive real estate fraud investigation
With the summer promising back-to-back murder trials stemming from the 2006 slaying of real estate developer Andrew Kissel, legal experts say the unconventional method of jury selection could present major problems. More than half of the jury has been selected for Carlos Trujillo’s trial, but evidence won’t be presented until mid-August. By that time, co-defendant Leonard Trujillo already will be through with his trial, which starts Tuesday, and some say the odd schedule in such a major case may inevitably taint the jurors. “It seems strange to me that they are picking a jury now for a trial to commence in August,” said Steven Duke, a professor at Yale Law School. “That jury will read all about the case during the June trial and may be contaminated by it.” Carlos Trujillo, 48, of Bridgeport, is charged with conspiracy to commit murder.
