Two men facing charges in separate death cases are standing trial the week of Aug. 24 in Ocala. Here's what we know about selection of the juries:
Who are the defendants and what are their charges? Eligio Cintron Perez, 27, is charged with death caused by the unlawful distribution of fentanyl. Joseph Edward Horrighs, 41, is charged with first-degree murder with a firearm.
If convicted, what sentences do the men face?
Life behind bars.Who are the judges and the lawyers? The judge in Cintron Perez's case is Circuit Judge Steven Rogers. Attorneys are Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt, defense attorney John Klein and defense paralegal Melody Hoover. In Horrighs' trial, the judge is Circuit Judge Barbara Kissner Kwatkosky, and the attorneys are Jonathan
Mills for the defense and Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt for the prosecution.
About the cases: Horrighs is charged in the shooting death of Darius Duntel Jones in 2023. Cintron Perez was indicted by a grand jury in 2024 in connection withthe drug overdose death of Simon Finley Dotson, who died in 2023.
What happened in court on Aug. 24? Approximately 80 potential jurors, 40 for each judge, were called to the courtrooms to answer questions. Each trial require 12 jurors, with an additional one or two people as alternates.
The clerk's office said 725 people were summoned to the courthouse for jury selection on Aug. 24 for civil and felony cases. According to court records, 255 actually arrived at the building.
Potential jurors' hometowns included Ocala, Summerfield, Fort McCoy and The Villages. Their occupations include teacher, real estate, financial consultant and retiree.
Some questions posed by lawyers: Have you ever served on a jury? How do you feel about firearms? Drugs? Witnesses facing criminal charges?
In the shooting case, at least two potential jurors said they would have difficulty putting aside their emotions about drugs, which the prosecutor said may come up during testimony. One woman said she didn't think she could be on the jury because of potential stress and anxiety.
There were moments of levity. Hunt asked a potential juror about his impression when he received the jury notice in the mail. The man said he knew it would be a long day, which drew laughter from the audience.
A defense attorney asked one potential juror about the book he was reading. The man said it was about understanding the mind of a woman, drawing laughter from those in the courtroom.
Once jurors were chosen for both cases, they were sworn in by the court clerks. The judges told them lunch will be provided every day they're in trial. He told them not to research the case or talk with anyone, including among themselves, about the cases.
For the murder trial, opening statements are expected about 10 a.m. on Aug. 25. That case may last up until Thursday. With the other case, lawyers will present their opening arguments at 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 25 and that trial should be concluded by Aug. 26.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Juries set for two trials in Ocala death cases | Exclusive
