Jury dismissed until Monday, lawyers and Judge discuss a charge

    Judge Bobby Bell released the jury for the weekend around 2:30 p.m. today. Bell told the jury he and the lawyers had to discuss a charge. He also told them to expect to be in the court room around a half hour on Monday morning and then to go into deliberations.

    Before the announcement, Kimberly Cervantes took the stand for the defense. She spoke about a situation that happened at a wedding reception dance held on New Year’s, about a month before the shooting.

    Cervantes said the wedding groomsmen and bridesmaids were asked to join the newlyweds on the dance floor and Amber Sorensen danced with the person she walked with during the wedding.

    Cervantes said Parker walked out on the dance floor, grabbed Sorensen’s arm and said “You have to ask permission” to the person Sorensen was dancing with. After this Cervantes said Sorensen and Parker left the dance floor, Sorensen upset and crying and Parker angry.

    Cervantes also said she has seen bruises on Sorensen’s arm and when asked about them, Sorensen said she got the bruises from the gym, during her workout.

     Sorensen’s father, Robert Durham, also took the stand for the defense. He said Sorensen never spoke to him about any abuse, but the one time he did see bruises on Sorensen’s arms, she told him the same thing she told Cervantes, that she got the bruises from the gym, during her workout.

    The trial is expected to resume on Monday morning at 9 a.m.

     We will have a full article updating the trial in the 10/9 JCHT newspaper.