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Thread: Edward James Rose - Arizona Death Row

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    Edward James Rose - Arizona Death Row



    Officer George Cortez, Jr. (right) and Edward James Rose




    Man pleads guilty in '07 shooting death of Phoenix police officer

    Edward James Rose was supposed to begin trial this morning at Maricopa County Superior Court for the 2007 shooting death of Phoenix police Officer George Cortez Jr.

    Instead, he pleaded guilty to all counts.

    In addition to first-degree murder, Rose admitted guilt to charges that include conspiracy, fraud, theft, forgery and burglary.

    Rose still needs a jury to determine whether he faces the death penalty or faces life in prison. That process will begin Tuesday.

    The shooting was captured on surveillance video. Rose's attorneys were planning a defense of guilty but insane. Rose's accomplice, Norma Lopez, already has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced.

    http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/08/20/20100820glendale-police-officer-death-guilty-plea.html#ixzz0xAxFkXXa

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    Administrator Heidi's Avatar
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    Testimony gives details about Phoenix officer's killing

    Eddie Rose killed a cop.

    It was caught on surveillance video, and the shots were recorded on a 911 call. He has already pleaded guilty to the murder, and now a Maricopa County Superior Court jury is hearing testimony as to whether he should be sentenced to life in prison or death.

    Rose, 23, gunned down Phoenix Officer George Cortez in July 2007 when Cortez tried to arrest him on suspicion of passing a forged check at a west Phoenix check-cashing business.

    On Monday and Wednesday, jurors watched the surveillance video and listened to the 911 tape as prosecutors questioned the store cashier who waited on Rose. The Republic is withholding the name of the cashier to protect her identity.

    It was hard to come away from the court hearings without realizing that Cortez's death could have been averted at many points.

    Rose spent more than 20 minutes fidgeting at the check counter as the store employee called the bank, the owner of the forged check and the police. He could have walked away.

    Backup for Cortez was just minutes away. A second officer arrived even as customers were fleeing the store after the shots were fired.

    The Rose of the surveillance video bears little resemblance to the man sitting at the defendant's table in court. Then he was spindly and wore a scowl and close-cropped hair like a gangster.

    Now he has filled out from three years of jail food and wears his hair neatly combed straight back.

    Shortly before 8 p.m. on July 27, 2007, Rose and his girlfriend, Norma Lopez, entered the check-cashing store in the 2200 block of North 83rd Avenue to cash a check from a stolen company checkbook.

    It was Lopez's 19th birthday. Friends waited outside the store ready to party with the money.

    On Monday, the teller testified that when Rose handed her the check for $430, she called the bank and learned the check was stolen, then called the check's owner, who told her to call police.

    Meanwhile, Rose stood nervously at the counter, angrily hanging his head and swinging his arms dramatically. Lopez walked back and forth in the store, alternately standing and sitting.

    At one point, according to testimony, Rose asked for the check back, but the clerk stalled him because she was already on the phone with police.

    Then Cortez strode up behind Rose at the check-cashing window and snapped handcuffs on Rose's left wrist. On the video, both Rose and Cortez look to the left.

    Defense attorney Joanne Garcia said that Cortez was shouting, "Get over here" to Lopez, who was fleeing.

    While Cortez was looking away, Rose suddenly whirled, pulled a gun from under his T-shirt and shot Cortez in the shoulder and head. Cortez crumpled to the floor as Rose stood above him for a second, still pointing the gun at him. Then Rose fled.

    The surveillance video has no audio. But the 911 call captured the sound.

    The clerk was calmly telling a dispatcher that she saw a police squad car in front of the building when two shots rang out.

    The clerk called back, now screaming that an officer had been shot, then balefully moaned, "He's dead!"

    In the video, she can be seen climbing onto the counter of her window and pressing up against the glass for a better view.

    Late Wednesday morning, the second Phoenix police officer on the scene testified that he was just two to four minutes behind Cortez and entered the store to find him bleeding to death on the floor.

    Rose pleaded guilty on Friday, the day his trial began.

    Prosecutors must still prove four aggravating factors that merit the death penalty: that Rose killed a police officer who was in the line of duty; that he committed the murder while on probation; that another serious crime occurred at the same time; and that he did it for monetary gain.

    Garcia acknowledged that most of those allegations are irrefutable, though she took issue with the claim of monetary gain.

    She said Rose killed Cortez without thinking, "as an act of stupidity."

    If the aggravating factors are proven, Garcia will present mitigating evidence she hopes will outweigh the aggravators and spare Rose's life.

    Lopez, now 21, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

    http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/08/26/20100826testimony-phoenix-officer-george-cortez-murder.html#ixzz0xj7n7lqC

  3. #3
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    Prosecutors hope video of murder will help get death penalty for cop killer

    Convicted cop killer Edward Rose already pled guilty to the murder of Officer George Cortez, but now a jury will decide whether he'll get life in prison or be put to death.

    Prosecutors made a case for death using a graphic surveillance video of the murder.

    3TV was inside the courtroom when prosecutors showed the surveillance video of the officer being killed and as you can imagine, it was extremely disturbing.

    The courtroom was silent after watching the murder of the officer.

    Rose, 23, did not watch the video as he sat in court Wednesday.

    Rose has already admitted to the killing of Officer Cortez, saying he was high on meth.

    Rose tried to cash a forged check at a west Phoenix check cashing business in July of 2007, when officer Cortez was called to arrest him.

    The video shows Officer Cortez walk up to Rose and try to handcuff him, but they both look to their left at what prosecutors say they're looking at Rose's girlfriend who is running.

    Seconds later Rose pulls out a gun and shoots Officer Cortez twice, once in the head and once in the shoulder.

    The jury should decide by Thursday if Rose should die for it.

    In order for Rose to get the death penalty prosecutors have to prove he killed the officer for monetary gain.

    The defense claims he did it out of stupidity, not to further his forged check scheme.

    http://www.azfamily.com/outbound-feeds/yahoo-news/Prosecutors-hope-video-of-murder-will-help-get-death-penalty-for-cop-killer-102025153.html

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    Jury finds man guilty of killing Phoenix police officer; eligible for death penalty

    A jury found Edward James Rose guilty on all charges in the shooting death of a Phoenix police officer in 2007.

    The trial now enters the penalty phase.

    Rose is eligible for the death penalty in this case.

    Rose plead guilty in the shooting death of Officer George Cortez Jr. at a check-cashing store in Phoenix on July 27, 2007.

    Police say Rose's girlfriend distracted George Cortez Jr. as the officer was trying to arrest Rose for trying to cash a forged check. Authorities say that gave Rose the opportunity to shoot the 23-year-old officer.

    The shooting was captured on the store's surveillance video, which was shown during the trial.

    The charges he was convicted on range from first-degree murder, conspiracy, fraud, theft, forgery and burglary.

    http://www.azfamily.com/outbound-feeds/yahoo-news/Jury-finds-cop-killer-guilty-on-all-charges-could-face-death-penalty-102794759.html

  5. #5
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    Man receives death penalty in Phoenix police officer's killing

    A Maricopa County Superior Court jury handed down the death penalty Tuesday against a man who pleaded guilty in the 2007 shooting death of a Phoenix police officer.

    Edward James Rose tried to cash a forged check at a Phoenix check-cashing store near 83rd Avenue and Osborn Road in July 2007.

    Police said Rose's girlfriend, Norma Lisa Lopez, distracted Officer George Cortez Jr. as he was trying to arrest Rose, which gave Rose the opportunity to shoot the officer.

    The shooting was captured on the store's surveillance video.

    In August, Rose confessed to the killing, saying he was high on meth. Rose pleaded guilty to 1st-degree murder, conspiracy, fraud, theft, forgery and burglary.

    Lopez pleaded guilty to charges 2nd-degree murder and was sentenced to 22 years in prison.

    (Source: AzFamily.com)

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    Arizona court to rule on death-row inmate's appeal

    The Arizona Supreme Court rules Thursday on an appeal filed on behalf of a death-row inmate convicted of killing a Phoenix police officer in 2007.

    Edward James Rose was sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of Officer George Cortez Jr.

    The shooting occurred in a check-cashing store where Rose attempted to cash a forged check.

    Rose pleaded guilty to all the charges against him, and the Maricopa County Superior Court sentenced him to death.

    Jurors concluded there weren't sufficient grounds for leniency and that facts warranting a death sentence included that the victim was a law enforcement officer.

    http://www.sfgate.com/news/crime/art...#ixzz2PUQix9Ay
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    STATE OF ARIZONA v EDWARD JAMES ROSE

    In today's opinions, the Arizona Supreme Court AFFIRMED Rose's conviction and death sentence on direct appeal.
    An uninformed opponent is a dangerous opponent.

    "Y'all be makin shit up" ~ Markeith Loyd

  8. #8
    Administrator Moh's Avatar
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    On December 2, 2013, the US Supreme Court DENIED Rose's certiorari petition.

    Lower Ct: Supreme Court of Arizona
    Case Nos.: (CR-10-0362-AP)
    Decision Date: April 4, 2013
    Rehearing Denied: May 28, 2013

    http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.a...es/13-6589.htm

  9. #9
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    Distributed for conference March 25, 2022.

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....lic/21m99.html
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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court DENIED Rose's petition for certiorari.

    Lower Ct: Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County
    Case Numbers: (CR2007-149013-002 DT)
    Decision Date: August 14, 2020
    Discretionary Court Decision Date: November 2, 2021

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/...22zor_b97d.pdf

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