Jurors seated in Lehigh County’s 1st homicide trial amid pandemic
Lehigh since virus of to Potential elbow see the pandemic if County room they start jurors were of as homicide they the had in selected the corona- waited plenty trial first Monday. designed COVID-19, Under new to jurors stem trial the summoned procedures spread of for ta-Quezada the case of Alexander of Allentown Acosanswered questions in courtroom 2A, a cavernous room rarely used for trials. They sat staggered one or two to a bench, at least 6 feet apart,
and answered questions from a masked judge and attorneys.
Along with boxes of files and trial exhibits, there was a large movie screen in the courtroom Monday. Once testimony begins, a camera will be aimed at the witness stand so that socially distanced jurors will have no problem seeing and hearing testimony.
A jury was seated Monday, despite fears that it would be difficult to find people willing to serve during the pandemic. At least one other homicide suspect is challenging the new trial procedures, saying he doesn’t believe he can get a fair and impartial jury while the virus is still raging.
Acosta-Quezada, 26, is charged with criminal homicide in the March 29, 2019, death of Yosandra Munoz-Corporan, 27, of Allentown. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison. Police say Acosta-Quezada stabbed Munoz-Corporan, the mother of his two children, with a broken golf club during an argument that began when she was late picking up their children from his home. According to police, Acosta-Quezada was angry because Munoz-Corporan was late, and as soon as she showed up to his home in the 100 block of South West Street in the passenger seat of her boyfriend’s car, he pulled her out by her hair and punched her in the face. He then fought with her boyfriend and smashed two windows of the car with a golf club, which broke in half, police say. Munoz-Corporan grabbed Acosta-Quezada from behind, police said, and he swung backward with the golf club handle, stabbing her through her thigh and abdomen. She ran down
the street, but soon collapsed between two parked cars and died from internal bleeding.
Acosta Quezada denies the charges. Following a pretrial hearing Oct. 16, he rejected a plea bargain to third-degree murder that would have netted him up to 60 years in a state prison.
Opening statements began Monday. The trial before Judge Douglas G. Reichley is expected to last through the week and possibly into next week.