Olongapo (CNN Philippines) — After a month-long break, the trial of United States Marine Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton resumes on Monday (August 3).
It’s the turn of the defense to present witnesses at Branch 74 f the Olongapo RTC. Pemberton’s lawyer, Rowana Garcia-Flores, however, confirmed that they would not be presenting witnesses.
Pemberton’s camp also did not ask the court to subpoena defense witnesses.
Based on the pretrial brief, the defense was supposed to present eleven people as witnesses, including the accused himself, his mother, a psychiatrist, and a military law expert.
Pemberton was accused of killing a 26-year old transgender, Jeffrey Laude, known to her friends and loved ones as “Jennifer.
According to prosecution witnesses, the two went to a motel in Olongapo, where Pemberton allegedly killed Laude.
According to state prosecutors, the defense may opt not to present witnesses if Pemberton resorts to a plea bargain – changing his plea from not guilty of murder to guilty of homicide, which is a lower offense.
The defense may also file a demurrer to evidence, a motion filed by the accused after the prosecution rests, seeking the dismissal of the case for insufficiency of evidence.
Laude’s slay case is the second criminal case which involved a US Marine in the Philippines that prompted protests by social activists and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
CNN Philippines’ AC Nicholls contributed to this report.
