Paul Bergrin Trial: Week 2 Notes

This is my journal of weekly news and events in the ongoing Paul Bergrin trial. It is a summary of how I read the events and testimony and includes the news source. At the end of the post you'll find my assignment of points to the feds and to Paul Bergrin, and this week to Judge Martini as well. I have my own personal point system and it is not scientific, but more interpretive and from my perspective and will most often be based on belief or disbelief of testimony. Points will accrue as the trial moves forward. Any statement in brackets should be attributed to me.

Week 2 of the Paul Bergrin trial started off with a bang as the jury heard from Paul's former girlfriend, Yolanda Jauregui, who is occasionally referred to as “jezebel” herein. The Urban Dictionary defines “jezebel” as “a girl who is incredibly manipulative and fucks with dudes minds,” and that is also my definition and viewpoint of Yolanda. 

The week ended with a bang as the man referred to as prosecutors' “key witness” testified and Paul exposed the many discrepancies in his testimony. Judge Martini declared a recess until Wednesday, November 2, 2011, probably to decide if he should toss the entire case out.

Week 2 Trial Events and Testimony Recap

The mental picture of a soft-spoken, meek Yolanda Jauregui testifying against Paul doesn't match the description of her that I have heard in past, but then she is the actress and the courtroom is her stage as she works it to gain favor with prosecutors in her own drug trafficking case. Not much unlike working Paul for years.

Jezebel cried crocodile tears to gain sympathy from unsuspecting jurors and when the prosecutor asked her why she was cooperating with the government against Paul Bergrin, “Through tears, she said, “I want it to end, the lies. ... I just wanted to end the lies, the lifestyle I was living in.””

[No problem dear. That lifestyle, care of Paul Bergrin, is over forever. Get used to your new digs in club fed, cause you're going to be there for years to come.]

Source: Jason Grant – The Star Ledger

Paul Bergrin murder trial: ex-girlfriend testifies he told her drug kingpin was 'like a brother to him'

Jezebel had the audacity to look at Paul with a half smile, sit down on the witness stand, and pour herself a glass of water. She testified that as a 17 year-old she went to Paul's office under false pretenses and flirted with him to get his attention. She played games with frequent phone calls and drop-in visits for years and when she was 25 years old, the relationship turned romantic [i.e. Paul eventually fell for her trap]. A short time later (2002), she became “partners” in the restaurant with Paul.

Ms. Jauregui testified concerning the alleged conversation Paul had with Curry and Claudio in the restaurant back in 2003, admitting that she couldn't hear a word. On cross-examination, Paul pointed out the various inconsistencies between her testimony and her statements to the FBI, and she responded, “They probably misunderstood me wrong, you know?”

“She acknowledged she had an intimate relationship with Alejandro Barraza-Castro, who also pled guilty to drug trafficking in this case, while she was living with Bergrin. Jauregui faces 20 years to life in prison on her charges.”

Source: MaryAnn Spoto – The Star Ledger

Paul Bergrin murder trial: Ex-girlfriend says attorney met with major drug dealer,supplier

[So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye...]

Tuesday and Wednesday would reveal an array of testimony, from a crime scene investigator that changed his report years later to a jailhouse snitch to a career criminal and Kemo's stepfather, Johnnie Davis.

Kemo Deshawn McCray's stepfather, Johnnie Davis, testified and was able to misdirect his anger at Paul Bergrin, though in reality we all know the family blames the FBI for his murder on a Newark street.

“In the year before his murder, McCray had worn a wire for the FBI as he made six crack cocaine purchases from a dealer named William Baskerville.”

Davis had identified someone with dreadlocks as the shooter of his stepson, but prosecutors would be calling a bald Anthony Young to the stand next. Young “confessed,” was convicted in the murder, and would testify to further reduce his 30 year prison sentence.

Source: Peter J. Sampson – The Record

Witness at Bergrin trial angrily describes son's slaying

[What happened to Kemo is sad and I feel for his family. Apparently the feds were able to push buttons with Johnnie Davis and misdirect his anger at Paul. The bottom line is that Kemo played in a heavy game, helping the feds set-up major drug traffickers, and they did not protect him. He should have been in WitSec.]

Richard Hosten, another convicted drug dealer seeking favor with prosecutors, testified that major drug trafficker Baskerville discussed his case with him in lock-up. Since few people in such positions are that stupid, or they wouldn't have such a position, and Hosten is another convict looking for a better sentence, I will leave this one. Enough is enough guys, really...

A former client of Bergrin's, Albert Castro, claimed that Paul offered him $10K to kill Kemo and even added that Paul tried to sleep with his 5 ft. 350lb. 21 year-old daughter. Oh well – at least he cut his deal to save his daughter from drug trafficking charges when kilos of coke were seized from her home, though they were probably his kilos.

“Bergrin initially represented Castro after he was arrested in 2008 by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office on charges of drug trafficking, attempted murder of a police officer, gun possession and planning to rob a restaurant.”

[Alrighty then. One more lying loser. Good grief!]

Source: Peter J. Sampson – The Record

Drug dealer says Bergrin offered him $10K to 'hit' FBI informant

The articles concerning the evolving testimony of a forensic pathologist seem to be missing in action. I recall reading the testimony though, and it changed substantially from his original report.

The next on the stand to testilie would be “confessed” shooter Anthony Young. According to Young, Paul plainly spelled out the directive to kill Kemo to five different people, contradicting earlier testimony by prosecution witnesses. Young actually claimed that Bergrin stated this directive on a Newark street corner to five major drug dealers

According to Young, alleged drug organization leader Hakeem Curry offered $15K to the first one to find and kill Kemo. “Young said he wanted the cash because, although he had $50,000 to $60,000 stashed at his house, he wanted extra funds to finance an upcoming trip to Los Angeles for the NBA All-Star Game.”

[I thought Kemo was killed in early March. The game referenced by Young was on February 15, 2004 – thank you MotoGP in the article Comments section. This is a major conflict with the testimony, but no more so than imagining Bergrin standing on a street corner in Newark with five major drug dealers, directing them to kill Kemo.]

Source: MaryAnn Spoto – The Star Ledger

Paul Bergrin murder trial: Confessed shooter of federal informant provides damaging testimony

[MaryAnn – Excellent coverage of the trial! One thing though, concerning the title of this article: You are referring to testimony damaging to the government, right?]

Before Paul Bergrin would get the chance to cross-examine Young, the jury would be removed from the courtroom twice by US District Judge William Martini. The judge is already tired of the government procession of lying convicted felons brought from prison to testify against Paul Bergrin.

[So are we Judge Martini, so are we.]

Source: MaryAnn Spoto – The Star Ledger

Paul Bergrin murder trial: Judge sends jury out of courtroom twice over troubles with witness

Finally we reach the end of the week and the cross-examination of Anthony Young. It's clear that Young was coached by prosecutors, and probably coached for a week. When a “witness” tries to memorize false testimony, well, it's bound to be mixed-up. It was indeed confusing and Paul hammered away at each and every discrepancy. Young denied being coached, though his testimony had changed substantially to fit securely into the prosecutor's description of events. This guy is so used to lying on the stand that he's almost got it down to a science; however, he was no match for Paul.

Source: MaryAnn Spoto – The Star Ledger

Paul Bergrin murder trial: attorney exposes discrepancies of key prosecution witness

[I truly would not be surprised if Judge Martini tossed this abhorrent parade of convicts seeking leniency and obviously malicious prosecution next week.]

There is a recess until Wednesday, November 2, 2011.

POINTS

Paul Bergrin – 11 (accrued – 15)

US District Judge William Martini – 5

feds – 1 (accrued – 1)