Yuman who shot bar patron found guilty
After a two-day trial in Yuma County Superior Court, a jury has found a Yuma man guilty of shooting and killing another patron inside the Maverick Bar last December.
Carlos Moreno Leal, who is represented by attorney Jerry Hernandez of the Yuma County Public Defender’s Office was convicted of one count of firstdegree murder, one of the two charges against him.
The trial began on Oct. 30 and the jury returned its verdict Thursday night. Steve Kiholm of the Yuma County Attorneys Office was the prosecutor. Sentencing has been set for next month.
Leal had also been charged with one count of misconduct involving weapons, but Kiholm had it separated from the murder charge. It is not known yet whether Leal will be tried on that charge.
Prosecutors had previously offered Leal a plea agreement but he turned it down, opting to take his case to trial.
According to Yuma police, officers responded to the Maverick Bar, 1460 S. 4th Ave., at about 12:40 a.m. on Dec. 17 in reference to an aggravated assault.
When they arrived on scene, they found a man with a gunshot wound. The man, identified as Joseph Benjamin Roosevelt, 37, was transported to Yuma Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Leal was later located in the 1300 block of South 5th Avenue and taken into custody without incident.
Roosevelt and Leal are thought to have known each other.
James Gilbert can be reached at jgilbert@yumasun.com or 5396854. Find him on Facebook at www. Facebook.com/YSJamesGilbert or on Twitter @YSJamesGilbert.