Closing arguments set this morning for sentencing in Soliz capital murder case
Jurors are expected to begin deliberating by noon whether to hand convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz a death sentence or life in prison without parole.
The courtroom began to fill up as early as 8:30 a.m. with family and friends of Soliz's victims.
Soliz was convicted two weeks ago of capital murder in the fatal shooting of Nancy Weatherly, 61, of Godley, during a robbery on June 29, 2010 of her rural home. He also is facing a capital murder charge in the death of beer deliveryman Ruben Martinez, who was shot during a robbery earlier the same day as Weatherly and died 13 days later.
Among those in the audience are Weatherly's son, Ben Davis, his wife, Kila, and their two grandsons, Riley and Rhett. The two grandsons testified Thursday about their "fun-loving" Granny who would do anything for their family.
Also in the audience is Martinez's parents and his widow, Lisa Martinez, who testified Thursday about her husband's love for his family. They had one 7-year-old son and Lisa Martinez was 8 months pregnant when he died.
The jury in state District Judge William Bosworth's court is set to hear closing arguments Friday morning and then begin deliberating his sentence. It took the jury only 10 minutes to convicted him of capital murder.
UPDATE: 10:15 a.m.
CLEBURNE - Prosecutor Christy Jack urged jurors to hand convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz, saying he's a constant danger to society.
"As long as he is breathing, he's a danger," she said.
UPDATE: 9:35 a.m.
CLEBURNE - Convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz is a "coward" and a "bully with a gun"" who should be sentenced to death for his shooting of a 61-year-old Godley woman during a 2010 robbery of her rural home, a prosecutor told jurors during closing arguments.
Prosecutor Larry Chambless told jurors that Soliz's learning disabilities and "chaotic, horrible childhood" did not absolve him of responsibility in the shooting of Weatherly during an 8-day crime spree that stretched across two counties.
"He ... at all times knew right from wrong, and he had his choices," Chambless said.
"Mark Soliz at every significant moment knew what he did, knew what he was doing, and he made his choices."
The jury is expected to begin deliberating punishment this morning.
As the much-maligned mother of convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz looked on, defense attorney Greg Westfall blamed her excessive drinking, paint-sniffing and prostitution for producing a damaged son who ended up as a killer.
Westfall, during closing arguments, told jurors that Donna Soliz would kick her son out of their only bed so she could make money for crack cocaine.
"She needed to make money for crack, which she obviously loved more than him," Westfall said.
Soliz is facing a possible death penalty in the death of Nancy Weatherly, 61, of Godley. But Westfall and defense attorney Mike Heiskell have urged jurors to consider life in prison without parole, saying that Soliz has brain damage from partial fetal alcohol syndrome.
The appearance of Donna Soliz for closing arguments in the punishment phase of the trial apparently marked the first time she has been in court for her son's four-week-long capital murder trial. He was convicted two weeks ago.
The jury is expected to begin deliberating his punishment by about noon.
UPDATE: 10:45 a.m.
CLEBURNE - Defense attorney Mike Heiskell urged jurors to consider "humanity" in deciding whether convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz lives or dies.
"We're asking you to look at facts and circumstances, not excuses," he said. "He's going to die in prison."
Soliz was convicted of capital murder in the fatal shooting of Nancy Weatherly, 61, of Godley, and is facing either the death penalty or life in prison without parole.
The jury is expected to begin deliberating by noon.
UPDATE: 11:50 a.m.
CLEBURNE - Johnson County District Attorney Dale Hanna got the final word to the jury consider life or death for convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz.
"If this is not a death penalty case, you will never see one," he said. "The evidence is overwhelming. What happened to Ruben (Martinez) and Nancy (Weatherly) could happen to anyone."
He urged jurors to send a message to gangs and thugs.
"We will not tolerate this," he said.
UPDATE: Noon
CLEBURNE - The jury has left the courtroom to begin deliberating whether to hand convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz the death penalty or life in prison in the fatal shooting of Nancy Weatherly of Godley.
UPDATE: 12:50 p.m.
CLEBURNE - The jury deliberating the fate of convicted killer Mark Anthony Soliz has asked to see copies of three letters that Soliz wrote from jail.
The letters include one to a girlfriend that begins, "Hey, Sexy," and asks her to "kick some a**" for him. Another is to a girlfriend where he promises to get some money to her.
The third letter is written to a woman missionary, asking if she is married and if she will send him information so he can learn about God. The jury was not told that the woman was a member of the panel of potential jurors, and that Soliz apparently got her address by memorizing details from papers being used by his defense attorneys.
The jury began deliberating shortly after noon on whether to give Soliz a death sentence or life in prison without parole in the fatal shooting of Nancy Weatherly, 61, of Godley.
http://blogs.star-telegram.com/crime...#storylink=cpy
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