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Thread: Death Penalty Trial: Jose Rojas Pleads Guilty in 2012 FL Slaying of Frances C. Venezia and Robert A. James

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    Death Penalty Trial: Jose Rojas Pleads Guilty in 2012 FL Slaying of Frances C. Venezia and Robert A. James


    Frances C. Venezia and Robert A. James






    Death penalty trial begins for man charged in 2012 Coral Gables double murder

    Rojas admitted to police he bound the victims with duct tape and forced Venezia to write him a check from her checking account, an arrest affidavit said

    By Christian Colón and Monica Galarza
    NBC News

    More than 11 years after a man and woman were tortured and murdered inside a Coral Gables office, the death penalty trial of the man who authorities believe is the killer began.

    Jose Rojas is facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed kidnapping and one count of attempted armed robbery in the April 27, 2012 killings.

    Rojas, who was 43 at the time of the killings and is now 55, has been held without bond since his arrest after the murders.

    Opening statements were delivered in the case Wednesday morning. Rojas' attorneys admitted he's responsible for the killings but claimed he was insane while doing it, and said he had a traumatic childhood that included being molested.

    "He was suffering from acute depression and he went psychotic. And that’s the reason that this occurred," defense attorney Jimmy Dellafera said.

    But prosecutors refute those claims and said the killings were planned by Rojas after he was caught stealing over $3,000 from one of the victims.

    "Part of a plan of theft. Nothing insane about it," prosecutor Abbe Rifkin said. "He takes a letter opener and he uses that to stab them with. A 78-year-old man and a 59-year-old woman who are duct-taped."

    According to police, 59-year-old Frances C. Venezia and 78-year-old Robert A. James were killed inside Venezia's public adjusters business at 801 Monterrey Street.

    The victims suffered from blunt trauma and were found with their hands and feet bound, their mouths covered with rags and multiple cuts, police said.

    Police had responded to the address in response to a woman calling for help, but found Rojas on Southwest 8th Street with no shoes, carrying a bag and appearing suspicious, according to an arrest report.

    Rojas fled when he saw police, but was detained a short time later covered in blood, authorities said.

    Rojas was an employee of the business, and Venezia was reportedly his boss.

    Once in custody, Rojas admitted to police that on his way to work, he stopped at a store and bought items that he would later use to torture his victims, the report said. When he arrived at the office, he placed a dark hood over his head, concealing his face, and slipped on a pair of gloves, the affidavit explained.

    Rojas admitted to police he bound the victims with duct tape and forced Venezia to write him a check from her checking account, the arrest affidavit said.

    He then struck the woman with a mop stick after she started screaming, the report said. Since Venezia would not stop yelling, the man also began to scream, Rojas told officials.

    The report said Rojas didn't remember what happened next but remembers pools of blood in the office and on himself.

    One of the first people to testify Wednesday was Venezia's daughter, Nicolina Venezia. She said her mother told her she was struggling financially and was having issues paying her employees.

    Rojas is one of the longest jailed defendants in Miami-Dade County. His trial could be the first one in the county where Gov. Rond DeSantis' death penalty law will be honored.

    Under the law, a unanimous vote is no longer needed to recommend death. Eight jurors out of 12 could recommend it.

    https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...%206%2C%202023.
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Edited:

    Man accused of killing 2 coworkers with office supplies in Coral Gables considers pleading guilty


    Rojas is one of the longest-jailed defendants in Miami-Dade County. His trial could be the first one in the county where Gov. Ron DeSantis' death penalty law will be honored

    By Christian Colón
    NBC News

    On Thursday, Jose Rojas, who could face death if convicted, informed the court he is considering pleading guilty to his 2012 indictment.

    Jose Rojas is facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed kidnapping and one count of attempted armed robbery in the April 27, 2012 killings.

    “If he’s going to go to penalty (phase) and that’s where we are going to go, we will tell the jury Rojas pled guilty to the indictment,” said defense attorney Jimmy Dellafera.

    It’s not official yet and his legal team planned to talk it through overnight, but if Rojas takes full responsibility, the first part of trial will end. The trial will then jump to the penalty phase where punishment could be life in prison or death. A similar scenario occurred for the Parkland shooter.

    Earlier in the day, jurors were shown gruesome images of the murder scene.

    Prosecutors also showed jurors pieces of duct tape with dry blood stains that Rojas used to bind the victims.

    “That’s the hole puncher,” stated Justin Funck, one of the prosecutors, as he passed around a bloody office supply they say Rojas used to beat the victims.

    Prosecutors also showed jurors a “Spanish mop” that was partially cracked. Rags with dry blood.

    State attorneys also rolled around one of the office chairs Rojas taped the victims to. Dried blood spots and hair particles were still covering the chair.

    Trial continues tomorrow.

    https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...uilty/3178769/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

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    Administrator Helen's Avatar
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    Man pleads guilty in 2012 double murder in Coral Gables, faces possible death sentence

    Jose Rojas had been facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed kidnapping and one count of attempted armed robbery in the April 27, 2012 killings

    By Christian Colón
    NBC News

    A man accused of a shocking double murder in Coral Gables more than 11 years ago pleaded guilty Friday just two days into his trial where's facing a possible death penalty.

    Jose Rojas had been facing two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of armed kidnapping and one count of attempted armed robbery in the April 27, 2012 killings.

    Rojas, who was 43 at the time of the killings and is now 55, has been held without bond since his arrest after the murders.

    His trial began Wednesday but in a shocking turn of events, it was announced Friday that he was pleading guilty.

    Rojas told the judge overseeing the case he's taking full responsibility, and his attorneys said he wanted everything wrapped up before the holidays.

    The trial will now move to the penalty phase, where only eight jurors will be needed to recommend death. However, Rojas could waive the jury and let a judge decide his future.

    Rojas' attorneys admitted he's responsible for the killings but claimed he was insane while doing it, and said he had a traumatic childhood that included being molested.

    But Rojas was found to be competent by medical officials.

    According to police, 59-year-old Frances C. Venezia and 78-year-old Robert A. James were killed inside Venezia's public adjusters business at 801 Monterrey Street.

    The victims suffered from blunt trauma and were found with their hands and feet bound, their mouths covered with rags and multiple cuts, police said.

    Rojas was an employee of the business, and Venezia was his boss.

    Once in custody, Rojas admitted to police that on his way to work, he stopped at a store and bought items that he would later use to torture his victims, an arrest report said. When he arrived at the office, he placed a dark hood over his head, concealing his face, and slipped on a pair of gloves, the affidavit explained.

    Rojas admitted to police he bound the victims with duct tape and forced Venezia to write him a check from her checking account, the arrest affidavit said.

    He then struck the woman with a mop stick after she started screaming, the report said. Since Venezia would not stop yelling, the man also began to scream, Rojas told officials.

    The report said Rojas claimed he didn't remember what happened next but recalled pools of blood in the office and on himself.

    After Rojas' change of plea Friday, Venezia's daughter spoke exclusively with NBC6.

    "To see him it was, it wasn’t a lot of empathy in his eyes. Or any. There was nothing. There was nothing there so it was very difficult," Nicolina Venezia said.

    If Rojas allows a jury during the penalty phase, this could become the first case in Miami-Dade where a new death penalty law will be honored.

    Under the law, a unanimous vote is no longer needed to recommend death. Eight jurors out of 12 could recommend it.

    https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/...tence/3179373/
    "I realize this may sound harsh, but as a father and former lawman, I really don't care if it's by lethal injection, by the electric chair, firing squad, hanging, the guillotine or being fed to the lions."
    - Oklahoma Rep. Mike Christian

    "There are some people who just do not deserve to live,"
    - Rev. Richard Hawke

    “There are lots of extremely smug and self-satisfied people in what would be deemed lower down in society, who also deserve to be pulled up. In a proper free society, you should be allowed to make jokes about absolutely anything.”
    - Rowan Atkinson

  4. #4
    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    Florida Man Who Brutally Murdered His Boss Using Office Supplies Asks to Be Sentenced to Death

    By Chris Spargo

    Prosecutors say that Jose Rojas used a hole puncher, letter opener, and the blade from a paper cutter to beat and stab his two victims to death.

    A Florida man accused of shooting two of his co-workers and then holding them hostage before beating and stabbing them to death using an assortment of office supplies pled guilty to first-degree murder just days into his trial.

    Jose Rojas, 55, also said in a three-page letter to the judge that he would like to receive the death penalty for his actions, a fate that the jury will now deliberate next month as the trial moves to the penalty phase.

    The defendant has been held without bail at the Miami-Dade County Pre-Trial Detention Center since April 28, 2012, one day after the brutal murders of his boss, Frances Venezia, 49, and co-worker, 78-year-old Robert James.

    Miami-Dade Police responded to the scene of the murders after a woman could be heard screaming for help at the Coral Gables office of Professional Public Adjusters, according to an arrest affidavit obtained by Inside Edition Digital.

    Once inside, officers discovered the bodies of Venezia and James, whose mouths were stuffed with rags and feet and hands were bound by duct tape, according to the affidavit.

    The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner would later determine the two died of blunt force trauma, but also noted a number of other injuries the pair sustained in the attack.

    Rojas attempted to flee the scene when cops arrived, but officers chased him down and arrested him after seeing that he was covered in blood, according to the affidavit.

    Rojas eventually confessed to the killings, telling police he waited in the office wearing a dark hood and shot both Venezia and James with a pellet gun when they walked into work that morning, according to the arrest affidavit.

    He told police that he then bound them both to their office chairs using duct tape while demanding Venezia okay a large withdrawal from her checking account.

    At some point, Venezia started to scream so Rojas began to hit her with a mop, he told police.

    James then also started to scream, and Rojas said the next thing he remembers is being covered in blood.

    Prosecutors say that what Rojas claims he does not remember in beating Venezia and James to death using a hole puncher, letter opener, and the blade from a paper cutter.

    In their opening statement, prosecutors even produced the bloody hole puncher and duct tape to show jury members.

    In his opening statement, Rojas' attorney said that his client suffered from acute depression brought on by childhood trauma as well as brain injuries from years of playing soccer.

    In addition to entering a guilty plea, Rojas also submitted a three-page letter to the judge saying that he wishes to die.

    "I’m tired, really tired and I want to end this for all of us as fast and easy as I can. From what I understand, your honor has the power over my life and your honor is the most intelligent person in this room," writes Rojas. "So I’m asking you if I change my plea ... what I really, really want can your honor make the order for the state to kill me quickly?"

    It will be a jury who decides, and Rojas will be the first defendant in the state under the Gov. Ron DeSantis' new death penalty law.

    That law eliminates the need for a unanimous jury vote to sentence a man to death and now requires just eight members of the jury to be in agreement.

    Rojas could also request that the judge decide.

    Jurors, who were dismissed after just one day of testimony, were sent home last week but told they may be returning in late January to determine Rojas' fate.

    Rojas' sudden desire to be put to death has at least one of his victims' family members hoping he lives a long life.

    "I would hope he never dies," Nicolina Venezia told a Miami Herald reporter outside court last week. "I think it should haunt him for the rest of his life.”

    Rojas' attorney said last week that he believes seeing the actual office supplies used to kill the victims and photos of the crime scene caused Rojas to suddenly change his plea.

    https://www.insideedition.com/jose-r...ty-florida?amp
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    Senior Member CnCP Addict one_two_bomb's Avatar
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    It will be a jury who decides, and Rojas will be the first defendant in the state under the Gov. Ron DeSantis' new death penalty law.
    "The first" Really?�� There's been several death penalty cases that proceeded under the new law already. It amazes me how much inaccuracy these crime journalists get away with.

  6. #6
    Moderator Bobsicles's Avatar
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    They meant the first to get the death penalty in Miami-Dade county

    The last ones all resulted in life despite Miami getting more conservative since DeSantis was elected
    Thank you for the adventure - Axol

    Tried so hard and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter - Linkin Park

    Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever. - Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt

    I’m going to the ghost McDonalds - Garcello

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