Attorney in Capital Murder Case Claims "Abuse of Miranda Rights"

SAN ANGELO, TX -- This morning, two suspects charged in the Capital Murder of Juan Guerrero and Zane Lopez sat in the Tom Green County Courthouse for their monthly pre-trials.

The 340th District Judge Jay Weatherby presided over the trials for both Erick Ramos,19, and Gilberto Salvador Reyes,19. Both Ramos and Reyes, together with co-defendant, Fred Angel Garcia, 18, were formally indicted in the shooting of Lopez and Gurrero last June. Garcia accepted a plea deal for a 35 year sentence last month.

Ramos went to court this morning at 9:00 a.m. Judge Weatherby allowed two exhibits to be entered into evidence  from Erick Ramos' defense attorney, Frank Brown. 

The exhibits Brown presented were two video recordings. The videos are statements taken by San Angelo Police Officers (SAPD). Brown plans on using the video evident to suppress Ramos’ video confession.  Brown said he will attempt to show a pattern of abuse of Miranda rights by the SAPD and requested all video interviews by the SAPD over the past five years. 

District Attorney Allison Palmer told Judge Weatherby she thought five years of video interviews was excessive and irrelevant.  Weatherby will rule on the request after he reviews the two videos allowed into evidence. 

In addition to this motion, Brown told the court he was going to have back surgery in 30 to 60 days and would be out for about a week. In response, Weatherby told both council's he wanted to stay on track for the September 18 jury trial date. 

Earlier this year, Brown argued that Ramos' bond should be reduced from the original price of $500,000 so his family could post bail. It was denied by the court after Judge Weatherby reviewed the evidence in the case.  

Reyes was next to sit before Judge Weatherby. However, the trial was short because no new motions were presented from either council

During the initial investigation of the murders, a person identified as “Juvenile #1”, testified that Reyes gave the “green light” on the murder of Lopez.

The detectives knew giving the “green light”, meant the permission had been given to kill the target subject, Reyes complaint states.

The next pre-trial hearing for Ramos and Reyes is scheduled for July 6. 

Cameron Niblock contributed to this article.