Jarrod Moquist, accused of first degree murder, learned his fate last Friday after 10 days of testimony: Guilty of second-degree murder, first degree assault, tampering with evidence and abuse of a corpse.
(See stories leading up to verdict on page 5 and in the Jan. 29 and Feb. 5 issues of The Flume)
Summary of the wrap-up
In a dramatic opening move on Day 9 of the Jarrod Moquist murder trial at the Park County Courthouse in Fairplay last Thursday, deputy district attorney Stacey Turner, with the 11th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, commenced closing arguments by turning off the courtroom lights and projected an image of Evan Graham on a large screen aimed at the jury.
Moquist killed Graham more than two years ago. His defense team argued he is not guilty of first degree murder under the Homeowner Protection Act and during the trial, presented the same image of Graham – who is pointing a gun at the camera – to the jury, depicting Graham as threatening and violent.
In Turner’s version, in large, bold letters, the word, “VICTIM” appears over the image.
