Jury selection begins April 9 for three defendants charged in connection with the June 30 killings at the Downtown Motel.

Thursday, March 08, 2001

Jury selection begins April 9 for three defendants charged in connection with the June 30 killings at the Downtown Motel.

It’s being called a "high-profile" trial, and with that comes a high price.

The first of 250 prospective jurors will be interviewed that day. The entire process to choose a 12-member jury, plus two alternates, could take two to three weeks.

Testimony is expected to take only four to five days.

On Wednesday, District Judge Donald E. Rysavy, who will preside over the case, and Patricia Ball, Mower County court administrator, met with local media representatives. The purpose was to discuss media coverage of the trial and to share information about security precautions being taken.

An attorney for David Kenneth Christian, one of the defendants, filed a request for a change of venue last November. Judge Rysavy is expected to rule on that request when the last pretrial hearing is held, March 15.

Judging by Wednesday’s lengthy discussion of guidelines for media coverage and security concerns, Mower County Third Judicial District Court personnel are proceeding with preparations for the trial to be held in Austin.

Vernon Neal Powers, 28, of St. Paul, and two brothers, Scott Perry Christian, 30, of St. Paul, and David Kenneth Christian, 28, of St. Paul, will be tried together.

A fourth defendant, Jenea Larae-Nichol Weinand, 19 of St. Paul, will be tried later.

A Mower County grand jury returned first degree murder indictments against all four, charging them in the shooting deaths of St. Paul roofers Juan Vincente Ramirez, 41, and Raul Pedro Guiterrez, 27, at the Downtown Motel June 30. A third man, Benjamin Moreno Hernandez, 21, was wounded by gun shots, but recovered.

All four defendants were charged with two counts of premeditated first degree murder, two counts of felony murder in the first degree, two counts of intentional murder in the second degree, two counts of felony murder in the second degree and assault in the first degree.

In addition, Powers and Scott Perry Christian were each charged with an additional count of felony in possession of a pistol.

All of the first degree murder charges carry a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment.

All counts of second degree murder carry a maximum penalty of 40 years imprisonment.

Assault in the first degree carries a maximum penalty of 20 years, while the felony in possession of a pistol carries a maximum penalty of 15 years.

According to information collected by authorities, during their investigation, the defendants and a juvenile female identified by court documents as Janet Hall came to Austin June 26, and stayed at the Downtown Motel.

Charges were dropped against Hall. However, she is expected to testify at the trial.

Hall and Weinand were unsuccessful in attempting to gain work as strippers in Austin and engaged in prostitution.

One of the victims, Ramirez, the roofing crew leader, engaged the sex-for-money services of Weinand late June 29, and apparently displayed a large amount of money he had with him wrapped in a handkerchief.

Ramirez returned to his room at the Downtown Motel he shared with other members of the roofing crew, including a 14 year old cousin.

Weinand allegedly told Powers, the Christian brothers and Hall about the money and a robbery plan was hatched.

Two St. Paul roofers were killed by multiple gunshots and a third wounded in a botched robbery attempt at their motel room. One of the intruders left behind a ski mask used in the robbery and another left behind a tennis shoe.

The money, $8,900 in cash, which tempted the defendants, was not taken.

The defendants were apprehended in the Twin Cities and returned to Austin to face charges.

On Wednesday, Judge Rysavy and Ball told reporters security will be tight for the trial commencing in April. A new stationary metal detector will be used and visitors to the second-floor severely restricted.

No bags will be allowed to be carried into the courtroom. All electronic devices, such as cell phones and pagers, will be left outside. In addition to extra district court bailiff personnel and Mower County Sheriff’s Department deputies in the courtroom, there will also be plainclothes security personnel in the spectators’ gallery.

"This is a high profile trial and the fact that there will be multiple defendants makes it unusual, as well as the fact that there will be both the victims’ relatives and the defendants’ families in the courtroom," Rysavy said.

While the jury selection process is open to the public, Rysavy cautioned reporters about the need to protect the jurors’ privacy.

He said he would issue his ruling on the change of venue request next week. The last change of venue made in Mower County District Court occurred in 1989, when the trial of accused sex offender Gordon Miles was moved to Rice County at Faribault.

Two sets of interpreters will be needed to translate what non-English-speaking witnesses testify for the court and for non-English speaking members of the victims’ families.

Already, the Mower County Attorney’s office has obtained the county commissioners’ approval of a budget amendment to help pay for additional costs incurred in the investigation and trial preparation.

More requests are expected to be submitted.

According to Ball, the court administrator has the county board "on notice, that this trial is going to cost a lot of money."

Call Lee Bonorden at 434-2232 or e-mail him at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.