Jury deliberations begin in murder trial

GAINESVILLE - The Hall County Superior Court jury in the trial of murder defendant Ignacio "Nacho" Vergara has begun deliberating the case.

Jurors got the case about 10:30 Tuesday morning.

In closing arguments Monday afternoon, defense attorney Raymond George told jurors as promised, the defense showed that Vergara never shot anybody. He told jurors it was co-defendant Brigido Soto who was in charge in the March 2002 drug dealer murders.

"He, Soto, decided who was to die," George said.

District Attorney Lee Darragh countered by arguing that did not matter. He said Vergara was a party to the crime, and evidence during the trial showed Vergara set up the murders of two men who came to sell Vergara and co-defendant Soto two kilos of cocaine.

"He planned the situation, he planned to rob cocaine," Darragh said.

Soto admitted to the March 2002 slayings and faces two life sentences; Vergara could get the death sentence if convicted.

Darragh took all his allotted time for his opening statement and closing rebuttal, pointing to evidence that Vergara was the mastermind. He urged the jury not to let Vergara walk away.

http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/8/212680