MICHELLE A. FOX
HOBBS NEWS
While the jury continued to deliberate 44-year-old Evelyn Warden’s fate, Warden hugged and comforted her mother in an empty courtroom, telling her everything would be all right.
Less than 15 minutes later, the jury knocked on the door and let the bailiff know they had made their decision in Warden’s trial for second-degree murder.
“We find the defendant guilty of involuntary manslaughter,” District Judge William Shoobridge said as he read the jury’s verdict.
The jury also found the shooting of Julius Morro, 44, was committed with a firearm, which may give Warden an additional year in jail. The maximum sentence for involuntary manslaughter is 18 months.
The jury’s verdict came 9 1/2 hours after it began deliberations Wednesday afternoon.
Prior to the start of deliberations, both attorneys gave their closing arguments on the case.
“Everybody that was there you heard from,” said defense attorney Jon Fredlund. “Everybody that was there was engaged in drug and alcohol abuse.”
Fredlund argued that Warden had gotten in with a group of people who had known each other for years, making Warden the newcomer.
“She found herself involved with Julius and Jeremy (Goff) over a very short period of time, and she regretted getting involved with them,” Fredlund said.
Assistant District Attorney Vernon Henning called the case “bizarre” and had a different take on the April 10 events that led to Morro’s death.
“A lot of these things (shared during the trial) have intruded on your sensibilities,” Henning said. “I looked up synonyms for the word ‘lie.’” Henning read off a long list of words that mean lie and told the jury, “She is guilty of all of those.”
Henning talked to the jury
about his witnesses, acknowledging that they were all drug users, but they all gave the same story that Warden came screaming into the house after Morro was shot in the car they were both in.
Warden’s testimony was that she did not shoot Morro. “She may be able to delude herself into believing a lot of things,” Henning said, “but not that she didn’t shoot that man.”
Warden was arrested April 11, 2008, after an investigation that led Hobbs Police and Sheriff ’s department officers to the 7600 block of South Eunice Highway in Nadine.
Upon arrival, officers found Morro in a car dead from a gunshot wound.
Warden’s sentencing has been tentatively set for June 22.
* Evelyn Warden was sentenced to 18 months and 92 days. She was credited the time she was currently serving while her case proceeded. She was able to walk out of the Lea County Detention Center approximately 3 months after sentencing, a free woman.
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